Elachista albifrontella

Elachista albifrontella is a moth of the family Elachistidae found in Europe.

Elachista albifrontella
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Elachistidae
Genus:
Elachista
Species:
E. albifrontella
Binomial name
Elachista albifrontella
(Hubner, 1817)
Synonyms
  • Biselachista albifrontella Traugott-Olsen & Nielsen, 1977
  • Cosmiotes albifrontella Clemens, 1860
  • Tinea albifrontella Hübner, 1817

Description

The wingspan is 8–9 millimetres (0.31–0.35 in).[1] The head is white with a conspicuously whitish forehead. Forewings are blackish ; a somewhat oblique fascia before middle, sometimes interrupted, a tornal spot, and a rather larger triangular costal spot beyond it white. Hindwings dark grey.The larva is yellow-whitish; head pale brown; 2 with three rows of brown dots.[2]

They are on wing from June to July in one generation per year.[3]

The larvae feed on velvet bent (Agrostis canina), meadow foxtail (Alopecurus pratensis), false oat-grass (Arrhenatherum elatius), oats (Avena species), Avenula pubescens, false-brome (Brachypodium sylvaticum), bromes (Bromus species), bunch grass (Calamagrostis arundinacea), Calamagrostis epigejos, Dactylis glomerata, Deschampsia cespitosa, Elymus repens, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Koeleria macrantha, Luzula pilosa, Milium effusum, Phalaris arundinacea, Phleum, Poa pratensis, rough meadow-grass (Poa trivialis), oatgrass (Trisetum species) and wheat (Triticum species). They mine the leaves of their host plant. The mine consists of a full depth blotch mine which descends from the leaf tip. It occupies half to the entire width of the blade. Larvae may exit the mine and start again elsewhere. The frass is deposited in a narrow central line with a greyish brown colour.[4] Larvae can be found from September to May. Pupation takes place outside of the mine.

Distribution

It is found from Fennoscandia and northern Russia to the Pyrenees and Italy and from Ireland to Romania.[5]

References
  1. "microlepidoptera.nl". Archived from the original on 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-09-07.
  2. Meyrick, E., 1895 A Handbook of British Lepidoptera MacMillan, London pdf This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. Keys and description
  3. Kimber, Ian. "38.030 BF601 Elachista albifrontella (Hübner, [1817])". UKmoths. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  4. "Elachista albifrontella Hübner, 1817". Bladmineerders.nl. Archived from the original on September 26, 2012. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  5. Ellis, W N. "Elachista albifrontella (Hübner, 1817) white-headed dwarf". Plant Parasites of Europe. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
Mined leaves of Holcus mollis
Larva


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