Elachista argentella
Encyclopedia
Elachista argentella is a moth
of the family Elachistidae
. It is found in all of Europe
, except the Balkan Peninsula.
The wingspan
is 11-12 mm. The moth flies from May to July depending on the location.
The larvae feed on Agrostis
, Avenula pratensis, Avenula pubescens, Brachypodium pinnatum, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Bromus erectus
, Bromus sterilis
, Calamagrostis epigejos, Dactylis glomerata
, Deschampsia cespitosa, Elymus hispidus, Elymus repens
, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra
, Festuca trachyphylla, Festuca valesiaca, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Koeleria glauca
, Koeleria grandis, Koeleria macrantha
, Leymus arenarius
, Phalaris arundinacea, Phleum
and Poa pratensis. They mine
the leaves of their host plant. The mine starts as a narrow corridor in which the larva hibernates. In March, it vacates the mine and moves to a new leaf where it creates a transparent, full depth mine that descends from the leaf tip, and occupies the entire width of the blade. Most frass
is deposited in the oldest upper part of the mine. The larva may again vacate the mine and restart elsewhere. Pupation takes place outside of the mine. Larvae can be found from late summer to early May. They are grey green with a pale brown head.
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
of the family Elachistidae
Elachistidae
| image = Elachista rufocinerea 2.jpg| image_width = 240px| image_caption = Adult Elachista rufocinerea,demonstrating its tiny size versus an aphid and a spider mite | regnum = Animalia| phylum = Arthropoda| classis = Insecta...
. It is found in all of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, except the Balkan Peninsula.
The wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
is 11-12 mm. The moth flies from May to July depending on the location.
The larvae feed on Agrostis
Agrostis
Agrostis is a genus of over 100 species belonging to the grass family Poaceae, commonly referred to as the bent grasses...
, Avenula pratensis, Avenula pubescens, Brachypodium pinnatum, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Bromus erectus
Bromus erectus
Bromus erectus, commonly known as either upright brome or meadow brome, is a dense, course, tufted perennial grass. It can grow to 120cm. Like many brome grasses the plant is hairy.-Description:...
, Bromus sterilis
Bromus sterilis
-Introduction:Bromus sterilis is an annual or biennial species of bromegrass known as barren brome, poverty brome, and sterile brome.-Range:...
, Calamagrostis epigejos, Dactylis glomerata
Dactylis glomerata
Dactylis glomerata, Cock's-foot and orchard grass, is a common species of grass in the genus Dactylis, native throughout most of Europe, temperate Asia, and northern Africa.-Distribution:...
, Deschampsia cespitosa, Elymus hispidus, Elymus repens
Elymus repens
Elymus repens Gould is a very common perennial species of grass native to most of Europe, Asia, and northwest Africa...
, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra
Festuca rubra
Festuca rubra is a species of grass known by the common name red fescue. It is found worldwide and can tolerate many habitats and climates; it generally needs full sun to thrive...
, Festuca trachyphylla, Festuca valesiaca, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Koeleria glauca
Koeleria glauca
Koeleria glauca is a grass species of the genus Koeleria. It grows in dunes and other sandy places. It is mainly distributed in eastern Central Europe, with its western outposts in the coastal dunes of Jutland and inland dunes in the Rhine Valley....
, Koeleria grandis, Koeleria macrantha
Koeleria macrantha
Koeleria macrantha is a species of grass known by the common name prairie Junegrass. In the UK it is known as Crested hair-grass. It is native to much of North America, from Alaska to California, from northern Mexico to the Eastern United States...
, Leymus arenarius
Leymus arenarius
Leymus arenarius Hochst. is a psammophylic species of grass in the Poaceae family, native to Atlantic, Central and Northern Europe and the coldest shores of North America....
, Phalaris arundinacea, Phleum
Phleum
Phleum is a genus of about 15 species of annual and perennial grasses. The genus is native to Europe, Asia and north Africa, with one species Phleum (catstail or timothy-grass) is a genus of about 15 species of annual and perennial grasses. The genus is native to Europe, Asia and north Africa,...
and Poa pratensis. They mine
Leaf miner
Leaf miner is a term used to describe the larvae of many different species of insect which live in and eat the leaf tissue of plants. The vast majority of leaf-mining insects are moths , sawflies and flies , though some beetles and wasps also exhibit this behavior.Like Woodboring beetles, leaf...
the leaves of their host plant. The mine starts as a narrow corridor in which the larva hibernates. In March, it vacates the mine and moves to a new leaf where it creates a transparent, full depth mine that descends from the leaf tip, and occupies the entire width of the blade. Most frass
Frass
Frass is the fine powdery material phytophagous insects pass as waste after digesting plant parts. It causes plants to excrete chitinase due to high chitin levels, it is a natural bloom stimulant, and has high nutrient levels. Frass is known to have abundant amoeba, beneficial bacteria, and fungi...
is deposited in the oldest upper part of the mine. The larva may again vacate the mine and restart elsewhere. Pupation takes place outside of the mine. Larvae can be found from late summer to early May. They are grey green with a pale brown head.