Bramble leaf mine

These mines, in the leaf of a bramble in my garden, have been made by the larvae of a tiny moth Stigmella aurella and possibly a second related species, Stigmella auromarginella. A number of other species of micro-moths and flies make similar mines as the larvae feed within specific host plants. With some species it is far more common to come across the mines than the adult insect. It is then a case of identification through the plant species, mine shape, pattern and colour and the way the frass (poo from the little caterpillar) is distributed. I bet you didn't know entomology could be so exciting!