Micropterix calthella
| Micropterix calthella | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Micropterigidae |
| Genus: | Micropterix |
| Species: | M. calthella |
| Binomial name | |
| Micropterix calthella (Linnaeus, 1761) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
The Marsh Marigold Moth (Micropterix calthella) is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. It is found in damp habitats throughout Europe (except for the far south) and is also distributed eastwards to central Siberia.
Illustration from John Curtis's British Entomology Volume 6
This rather small moth has a forewing length of up to 4.6 millimetres (0.18 in) and a wingspan of 8–10 millimetres (0.31–0.39 in).[1] This is one of the more plainly marked Micropterix species of Europe, with rather dark bronze-coloured forewings with distinctive purple bases. Like other members of the family, this species has functional jaws and it feeds as an adult on pollen grains from a wide variety of plants such as Acer, Ajuga, Caltha, Cardamine, Carex, Crataegus, Mercurialis and Ranunculus.
Micropterix calthella - Lissan House, Cookstown, Northern Ireland; feeding on pollen of Ranunculus repens.
References
- ↑ "Micropterix calthella". UK Moths. Retrieved July 16, 2009.
External links
- Micropterix calthella on Fauna Europaea
- Micropterix calthella at Naturhistoriska riksmuseet
Further reading
- Zeller-Lukashort, H. Christof; et al (2007). "A review of Micropterix Hübner, 1825 from northern and central Europe (Micropterigidae)" (PDF). Nota Lepidopterologica 30 (2): 235–298.