Ochsenheimeria taurella

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Ochsenheimeria taurella
Ypsolophidae - Ochsenheimeria taurella (female).JPG
Ochsenheimeria taurella. Female, dorsal view
Ochsenheimeria taurella (9561253701).jpg
Male, side view
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Ypsolophidae
Genus: Ochsenheimeria
Species:
O. taurella
Binomial name
Ochsenheimeria taurella
Synonyms
List
  • Tinea taurellaDenis & Schiffermuller, 1775
  • Ypsolophus mediopectinellusHaworth, 1828
  • Ochsenheimeria mediopectinellus(Haworth, 1828)
  • Lepidocera birdellaCurtis, 1831
  • Ochsenheimeria birdella
  • Ochsenheimeria hederarumMilliere, 1874
  • Ochsenheimeria baurellaZagulajev, 1966
  • Ochsenheimeria trifasciataWocke, 1871
  • Ochsenheimeria talhoukiAmsel, 1947

Ochsenheimeria taurella, the Liverpool feather-horn or the rye stem borer, is a moth of the family Ypsolophidae.

Contents

Distribution

This species can be found in most of Europe, as well as North Africa and the Middle East. [1]

Description

Ochsenheimeria taurella has a wingspan of 11–12 mm. [2] These rather distinctive microlepidoptera have brownish or ochreous forewings, with erect scales. These scales sometimes tend to form ill-defined fasciae of different colour. A tuft of erect scales in present on the head. The abdomen is dark brown. The females have the antennae with long black erected scales for over half of their length. [3] Metrick - Antennae thickened with rough scales to above middle. Forewings fuscous or ochreous fuscous, mixed with lighter and darker, and with loosely raised scales. Hindwings rather dark purplish-fuscous, becoming transparent on a patch towards base. Larva slender, whitish-yellowish; head pale yellow-brownish. [4] This species is rather similar to Ochsenheimeria vacculella , but the latter lacks the erect antennal scales.

Biology

Adults are on wing from July to September. [2] They fly in the early afternoon sunshine. [2] From September to May, the caterpillars overwinter. They feed on various coarse grasses (Poaceae), including cock's-foot ( Dactylis glomerata ), rough bluegrass ( Poa trivialis ), rye ( Secale cereale ) (hence the common name), meadow foxtail ( Alopecurus pratensis ), barley ( Hordeum vulgare ), oat ( Avena sativa ) and wheat ( Triticum aestivum ). They mine the stems of their host plant. [2] [3] [5]

Bibliography

References