New leaf

Here's to succulent mesophyll

On February 15, 2012 I discovered a colony of Stigmella aurella on the brambles in my parents' front garden. Nearly five years on, it's still going strong. We had six larvae mining away at the leaves on December 20, and we're now down to just two as the others have evidently got out to spin their neat little cocoons and pupate.

This chap seems to think the mesophyll is greener on the other side. Let's hope he's right. Happy 2017.