Psychoides verhuella

Psychoides verhuella is a moth of the family Tineidae first described by Charles Bruand in 1853.

Psychoides verhuella
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Tineidae
Genus:
Psychoides
Species:
P. vrhuellai
Binomial name
Psychoides verhuella
Bruand, 1853

Life cycle

Larva

Larvae feed from August to June, initially in a whitish mine in the frond, and in the spring they leave the mine and burrow into a sorus, feeding on the sporangia. They later form a loose, portable case from empty sporangia and when fully grown in May the case resembles a misplaced sorus, especially on hart's-tongue fern (Asplenium scolopendrium). The larva is yellowish white with a brownish dorsa line and has a black head and black prothoracic plate.[1]

The following ferns have been recorded as food plants,[2][3]

Larva of another moth, Psychoides filicivora also feed on ferns. It has a pale-brown head and a pale-brown posterial margin, which has a split in the middle, compared with the black head and prothoracic plate of Psychoides verhuella.[4]

Pupa

In a larval case, which is often against the midrib of the food plant.[3] Can be found in May and June.[5]

Imago

Single brooded, the moth flies in June and July, in early morning and late afternoon sunshine. Occasionally comes to light.[6] The grey to dark grey forewings have a violet reflection and lack the white tornal spot of Psychoides filicivora.

References
  1. Pelham-Clinton, p. 159
  2. "12.047 Psychoides verhuella Bruand, 1853". British Leafminers. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  3. Ellis, W N. "Psychoides verhuella Bruand, 1853 hart's-tongue smut". Plant Parasites of Europe. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  4. Pelham-Clinton, p. 160
  5. Kimber, Ian. "12.047 BF199 Psychoides verhuella Bruand, 1853". UKMoths. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  6. Sterling, Paul; Parsons, Mark; Lewington, Richard (2012). Field Guide to the Micro Moths of Great Britain and Ireland. Gillingham, Dorset: British Wildlife. p. 78. ISBN 978 0 9564902 1 6.

Bibliography


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