Elm midget
Phyllonorycter tristrigella
Phyllonorycter tristrigella is a moth of the family Gracillariidae. It is known from all of Europe, except the Iberian Peninsula and the Balkan Peninsula, east to the European part of Russia.
21
Countries
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phyllonorycter_tristrigella
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Lepidoptera
Family
Gracillariidae
Genus
Phyllonorycter
Elm midget belongs to the family Gracillariidae, order Lepidoptera, within the Insecta class.
Species Profile
Phyllonorycter tristrigella is a moth of the family Gracillariidae. It is known from all of Europe, except the Iberian Peninsula and the Balkan Peninsula, east to the European part of Russia. It was also recorded from Japan, but this is a misidentification of Phyllonorycter laciniatae.
The Elm midget (Phyllonorycter tristrigella) is primarily threatened by the widespread decline of its host elm trees due to Dutch elm disease, which has devastated elm populations across Europe and North America. Additional pressures from habitat fragmentation, urbanization, and climate change further compound the species' vulnerability by reducing available breeding sites and altering the distribution of suitable elm habitats.
Key Facts
Threats
IUCN Red List: Endangered
The Elm midget (Phyllonorycter tristrigella) is primarily threatened by the widespread decline of its host elm trees due to Dutch elm disease, which has devastated elm populations across Europe and North America. Additional pressures from habitat fragmentation, urbanization, and climate change further compound the species' vulnerability by reducing available breeding sites and altering the distribution of suitable elm habitats.
Dutch elm disease affecting host trees
Habitat fragmentation and loss
Climate change altering host plant distribution
Pesticide use in urban and agricultural areas
Urbanization and development pressure
Found in 21 Countries
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Elm midget (Phyllonorycter tristrigella). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/elm-midget