Leaf-mine: In Belgium the larva feeds at first between some needles of Larix spun together. It has been observed also on Picea sitchensis. After hibernation it feeds in the expanding buds. Pupation in the larval feeding place (Belgian Lepidoptera).

In late summer the larva spins a few needles together, and mines them out. The larva hibernates between some mined needles that haven been spun together. After hibernation the larva bores into a developing bud, eventually pupating there (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Larva: The larva is illustrated in Bladmineerders van Europa.

Spilonota laricana larva, dorsal Image: Willem Ellis (Bladmineerders van Europa)

Pupa: See Patocka and Turcáni (2005a) (Bladmineerders van Europa).

Adult: The adult is illustrated in UKMoths. The male genitalia, but not the female genitalia (check for update), are illustrated.

Hosts in Britain:

Hosts elsewhere:

Time of year - larvae: Unknown.

Time of year - adults: June and August (UKMoths).

Distribution in Great Britain and Ireland: Britain including Bedfordshire, East Norfolk, East Suffolk, Glamorgan, Shropshire, South Wiltshire, Stafford, West Gloucestershire, West Norfolk, West Suffolk and Worcestershire (NBN Gateway - N.B. includes Watsonian Vice Counties having publicly available records that fall within or overlap the vice county border at 10km resolution or better i.e. a record for a vice county may relate to an adjacent vice county - for included datasets see NBN Grid map below).

Also recorded in the Republic of Ireland (Karsholt and van Nieukerken in Fauna Europaea).

NBN Grid map: Note that not all datasets on the NBN Gateway may be available on the map below. If you are an NBN Gateway registered user you can request access for missing datasets via the link 'Open interactive map in new window' below.

Distribution elsewhere: Widespread in continental Europe including Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Danish mainland, Estonia, Finland, French mainland, Germany, Hungary, Italian mainland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norwegian mainland, Poland, Romania, Russia - Central, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland and The Netherlands. Also recorded in East Palaearctic (Karsholt and van Nieukerken in Fauna Europaea).

NBN interactive distribution map(s) of known host species in Great Britain and Ireland and elsewhere:

Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere: Unknown.