Micropterix mansuetella

Micropterix mansuetella is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. It is found primarily in freshwater wetlands and is distributed throughout northern, eastern, central and western Europe (including Great Britain and Ireland). The most southern occurrence is eastern Tyrol in Austria.

Micropterix mansuetella
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Micropterigidae
Genus:
Micropterix
Species:
M. mansuetella
Binomial name
Micropterix mansuetella

This is a small moth with a forewing length of 3.4–3.9 millimetres (0.13–0.15 in) for males and 3.8–4.2 millimetres (0.15–0.17 in) for females. It is largely bronzy-gold in colour with some reddish and purple markings. The forewings have a costal spot near the wingbase, a fascia before middle not reaching the dorsum, and the posterior half of wing is deeper golden, often more or less purple-tinged. The hindwings are rather dark bronzy-grey, posteriorly purplish-tinged.Its most distinctive feature is the dark coloured tuft of hair on its head: in most other Micropterix species of the region this tuft is much paler. Like other members of the family, this species has functional jaws and it feeds as an adult on pollen grains, mainly from the flowers of Carex species. The larva and pupa are unknown.

References
  1. "Micropterix mansuetella Zeller, 1844". 2.6.2. Fauna Europaea. 29 August 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  2. Beccaloni, G.; Scoble, M.; Kitching, I.; Simonsen, T.; Robinson, G.; Pitkin, B.; Hine, A.; Lyal, C., eds. (2003). "Micropterix mansuetella". The Global Lepidoptera Names Index. Natural History Museum. Retrieved April 21, 2018.


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