The horse chestnut leaf miner

The horse chestnut leaf miner moth grows up to 5 mm long and has shiny, bright brown forewings with thin black and white stripes. Its larvae are leaf miners on the Common Horse-chestnut, causing significant damage to the appearance of the trees.The larva digs its way into the leaves of the tree, damaging the leaves and stunting growth. Infected leaves are covered in small brown patches which spread rapidly across the entire tree, giving an autumnal appearance (these patches are similar to damage caused by the fungus , but can be distinguished by their more regular size and shape). Eventually the leaves die and drop off; when new ones grow they are again infected. This cycle can repeat itself several times in one season.The moth is able to live at temperatures as low as -23 °C, although it thrives in warmer climates, where it can achieve as many as six generations a year. Its natural enemies are parasitic wasps, but there are few of the required species in Europe, meaning there is next to no natural control.