Elachista scirpi

Elachista scirpi
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukarya
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Elachistidae
Genus: Elachista
Species: E. scirpi
Binomial name
Elachista scirpi
Stainton, 1887
Synonyms
  • Biselachista scirpi
  • Biselachista margaretae Traugott-Olsen, 1994

Elachista scirpi is a moth of the Elachistidae family. It is found from Fennoscandia to Portugal, Sardinia and Sicily and from Ireland to Romania.[1]

The wingspan is 10–12 millimetres (0.39–0.47 in). Adults are on wing from June to August.[2]

The larvae feed on Juncus compressus, Juncus gerardii and Scirpus maritimus. They mine the leaves of their host plant. The mine starts as a narrow corridor halfway down the leaf and ascends towards the tip. It then doubles and descends to about the starting point, gradually widening. The frass is deposited in the oldest part of the mine. Pupation takes place outside of the mine in a pupa in a loose spinning.[3] They are pale greenish yellow with a pale yellow head. Larvae can be found from early March to early May.

References

  1. "Elachista (Elachista) scirpi Stainton, 1887". 2.6.2. Fauna Europaea. August 29, 2013. Retrieved November 9, 2013.
  2. microlepidoptera.nl
  3. "Elachista scirpi Stainton, 1887". Bladmineerders.nl. Retrieved September 8, 2011.