Etainia louisella

Wingspan approx 7 mm. The species has a black ground colour with creamy yellow markings and a reddish head. Adults need to be identified by genitalia examination.  The larva mines the 'keys' of Field Maple.

Ectoedemia sericopeza is very similar but has whiter markings. In Ectoedemia louisella markings are slightly yellower and the collar is often broader.

Adult Larval mine

Photograph the mine and identify host speces in comments

Found where Field Maple is present.

Adult moths are on the wing in April/May and possibly in two further generations in late summer/autumn.

The larva mines in the seeds (samaras) of Field Maple forming an irregular gallery commencing in the wing and concluding in the seed itself.

It occurs chiefly in the south and southern half of England. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.

Rare in Leicestershire and Rutland where the Sapcote record of 11th July 2013 is the first record for VC55. L&R Moth Group status = D (rare or rarely recorded).

http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/E.louisella.htm

https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/lepidoptera/monotrysia/nepticuloidea/nepticulidae/etainia/etainia-louisella/