Elm midget
EN

Elm midget

Phyllonorycter tristrigella

Unknown

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phyllonorycter_tristrigella

Overview

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.

Threat summary

Other threatened species in Gracillariidae

VU

Gracillaria loriolella

Unknown
Phyllonorycter populifoliellaVU

Phyllonorycter populifoliella

Unknown
Cornish MidgetCR

Cornish Midget

Phyllonorycter staintoniella

Unknown
Common thorn midgetEN

Common thorn midget

Phyllonorycter oxyacanthae

Unknown

Threatened in Åland Islands

Scarce BlackneckCR

Scarce Blackneck

Lygephila craccae

Unknown
EN

Dolichopus notatus

Unknown
Haplodrassus cognatusCR

Haplodrassus cognatus

Unknown
Yellow-breasted BuntingCR

Yellow-breasted Bunting

Emberiza aureola

Declining

Frequently asked questions

Why is Elm midget classified as Endangered?
Elm midget is classified as Endangered — facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild — because population numbers are declining steeply and key habitats are under sustained pressure. 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.
Where does Elm midget live?
Elm midget occurs in Åland Islands, Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, and Estonia (plus 15 other countries). Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Elm midget?
The main threats to Elm midget are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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