Biology:Elachista eleochariella

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Short description: Species of moth

Elachista eleochariella
Elachista eleochariella1.jpg
Female
Scientific classification edit
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Elachistidae
Genus: Elachista
Species:
E. eleochariella
Binomial name
Elachista eleochariella
Stainton, 1851
Synonyms
  • Biselachista eleochariella (Stainton, 1851)

Elachista eleochariella is a moth of the family Elachistidae found in Europe and North America.

Description

The wingspan is 7–8 millimetres (0.28–0.31 in).The head is grey. Forewings are grey ; plical stigma black, preceded and followed by whitish marks ; a small tornal spot, and an oblique wedge-shaped mark on costa opposite whitish. Hindwings are dark grey.[1]

The larvae feed on glaucous sedge (Carex flacca), carnation sedge (Carex panicea), black sedge (Carex nigra), common spike-rush (Eleocharis palustris) and common cottongrass (Eriophorum angustifolium). The larvae form an upper-surface mine, starting just under the tip of the leaf. They first form a corridor which runs upwards, then doubles, widening all the while, with the final part taking about half the width of the leaf.[2] There is some confusion as to the form of the mine with a different description on the UKmoths website.[3]

Pupation takes place outside of the mine.[4]

Distribution

In Europe it is found from northern Europe and northern Russia to the Pyrenees and Alps, and from Ireland to Romania.[5] It is also found in North America.[6]

References

External links

Male

Wikidata ☰ Q2315053 entry