Stigmella alnetella

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Stigmella alnetella
Stigmella alnetella.jpg
Stigmella alnetella 01.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nepticulidae
Genus: Stigmella
Species:
S. alnetella
Binomial name
Stigmella alnetella
(Stainton, 1856)
Synonyms
  • Nepticula alnetellaStainton, 1856

Stigmella alnetella is a moth of the family Nepticulidae. It is found in all of Europe, except the Balkan Peninsula.

Mined alder leaf Stigmella alnetella mined alder leaf.JPG
Mined alder leaf
Larva Ectoedemia weaveri larva.JPG
Larva

The wingspan is 3.9-4.8 mm. The head is orange, the collar deep bronze-fuscous. The antennal eyecaps are white. The forewings are golden brown, becoming lighter golden towards the dorsum anteriorly. A bright shining silvery fascia beyond middle is preceded by a dark purplish-fuscous suffusion,the apical area beyond this is dark purplish fuscous. The hindwings are grey. [1] [2] [3] [4]

The larvae feed on Alnus cordata and Alnus glutinosa . They mine the leaves of their host plant. There is usually only one mine in a leaf. Pupation takes place outside of the mine.

References

  1. Meyrick, E., 1895 A Handbook of British Lepidoptera MacMillan, London pdf PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain . Keys and description
  2. lepiforum.de includes images PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  3. Emmet, A. M., 1976. Nepticulidae. — In: J. Heath (ed.). The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland 1: 171—267, pls. 1—7, 11, 12.
  4. Zagulajev, A.K., 1987 Nepticulidae (Stigmellidae); in G.S. Medvedev (ed.): Keys to the insects of the europaean part of the USSR, Vol.IV: Lepidoptera, part 1 (english translation), Oxonian Press Pvt.Ltd., New Dehli, 1987