Parafomoria liguricella
Encyclopedia
Parafomoria liguricella is a moth
of the Nepticulidae
family. It is found in the Italian Riviera
and the Spanish Mediterranean coast
. It is probably also present in France
, Portugal
and North Africa
.
The length of the forewings is 1.7-1.85 mm for males and 1.3-2.2 mm for females. Adults are on wing from May to June. There is probably one generation per year.
The larvae feed on Cistus albidus. They mine
the leaves of their host plant. The mine consists of a very narrow, much contorted corridor, forming a quite small secondary blotch in the end. Sometimes though, the mine is less contorted and the corridor follows a vein. The frass
is deposited in a thick broken central line. Pupation takes place outside of the mine.
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 Nepticulidae
Nepticulidae
Nepticulidae is a family of very small moths with a worldwide distribution. They are characterised by eyecaps over the eyes . These pigmy moths or midget moths, as they are commonly known, include the smallest of all living moths, with a wingspan that can be as little as 3 mm...
family. It is found in the Italian Riviera
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and the Spanish Mediterranean coast
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. It is probably also present in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
and North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
.
The length of the forewings is 1.7-1.85 mm for males and 1.3-2.2 mm for females. Adults are on wing from May to June. There is probably one generation per year.
The larvae feed on Cistus albidus. 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 consists of a very narrow, much contorted corridor, forming a quite small secondary blotch in the end. Sometimes though, the mine is less contorted and the corridor follows a vein. The 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 a thick broken central line. Pupation takes place outside of the mine.