Recording method

Can be confused with an early mine of  Parornix devoniella.  The P. nicellii mine has the lower epidermis of the mine (ie upper epidermis of the leaf) green with brown flecks round the edges.  The early P. devoniella mine has the lower epidermis of the mine (ie upper epidermis of the leaf) brown.  (The P. devoniella larva later leaves this mine and folds the leaf margin upwards, feeding therein.

Life cycle

Mines: July, September-October.  Adults: March-May, July-October.

Larval foodplants

Hazel.

History

The first for Dumfries & Galloway was of a leaf-mine found at Penpont, Dumfriesshire, on 12th October 1958 by E. C. Pelham-Clinton, while the first for Kirkcudbrightshire was of a leaf-mine found in the layby at Skyreburn on 21st September 2013, with the Wigtownshire first being a leaf-mine found at Kirkcolm on 24th September 2013.