Vapourer moth caterpillar bits

[Janenat]

Hello was'nt sure if this question should be in this forum but my pyrachantha bush leaves have a lot of what I assume egg coverings and some leaves have been folded in half by some sort of insect activity. I've seen quite a few vapourer moth caterpillars and in a couple of instances bits of the caterpillar! Is this part of this moth's cycle or some other insect? (googled the vapourer moth cycle and the info gave no resemblance to what I have)
Many thanks for any info
Jane

[poschiavanus]

This does look like a cast skin of a vapourer caterpillar, but the silvery leaf surface and folding is a leaf-mine of the micromoth Phyllonorycter leucographella - the Firethorn Leafminer. This appeared relatively recently in the UK, and also feeds on other woody members of the rose family.

More information at UK Moths and UK Leaf Miners.

[Janenat]

Thank you, another mystery solved! Shall have to look out for the leaf miner critter.

thanks again
Jane

[BloomingMarvellous]

Found this one in the garden yesterday, thought it would turn into quite a colourful moth, how wrong i was.