15.019 Acrocercops brongniardella (Oak Cloud)
ws:8-10mm (MBGBI2, fw: 4-5mm (Sterling & Parsons); all year; oak (Quercus spp); local in open woodland with young oaks in S.England
Acrocercops brongniardella §2 female
ID: Head smooth, hindtibia with bristles > Acrocercops brongniardella / Dialectica imperialella / Leucospliapteryx omisella
These three are separated in the key in MBGBI2 by A.brogniardella - forewing irrorate brownish-fuscous, a projecting dark pencil in terminal cilia; D.imperialella - forewing ground colour shining orange-brown, pattern silvery white, no projecting dark pencil in terminal cilia;
L.omisella - forewing ground colour pale fuscous, irrorate darker, pattern dull white, no projecting pencil in terminal cilia.
§1 has presumably over-wintered as the adult and the terminal cilia and forewing pattern are quite worn. D.imperialella and L.omisella are both smaller (ws 7-8mm). D.imperialella has the apical 1/6 of the antenna clear white and the thorax is leaden-metallic so that is contrasts with the orange-brown forewing. L.omisella has a silvery-grey head and thorax; white labial palps, S2 with an apical fuscous band, S3 with a median fuscous band.
Male genitalia: Of these 3 species only A.brogniardella is shown at Moth Dissection and it provides an exact match for this specimen.
These three are separated in the key in MBGBI2 by A.brogniardella - forewing irrorate brownish-fuscous, a projecting dark pencil in terminal cilia; D.imperialella - forewing ground colour shining orange-brown, pattern silvery white, no projecting dark pencil in terminal cilia;
L.omisella - forewing ground colour pale fuscous, irrorate darker, pattern dull white, no projecting pencil in terminal cilia.
§1 has presumably over-wintered as the adult and the terminal cilia and forewing pattern are quite worn. D.imperialella and L.omisella are both smaller (ws 7-8mm). D.imperialella has the apical 1/6 of the antenna clear white and the thorax is leaden-metallic so that is contrasts with the orange-brown forewing. L.omisella has a silvery-grey head and thorax; white labial palps, S2 with an apical fuscous band, S3 with a median fuscous band.
Male genitalia: Of these 3 species only A.brogniardella is shown at Moth Dissection and it provides an exact match for this specimen.
§1 St Lawrence, Isle of Wight; 31/05/2014; male; fw 4.4mm
§2 New Forest, Wiltshire; 21/06/2025; female; fw 5.0mm
All images © Chris Lewis EUF/16689620 EUF EUF/16689620/16689620EUF/16689620
§2 New Forest, Wiltshire; 21/06/2025; female; fw 5.0mm
All images © Chris Lewis EUF/16689620 EUF EUF/16689620/16689620EUF/16689620
Page published 10/06/2014 (§1) | §2 added 23/09/2025
