Stigmella styracicolella
Encyclopedia
Stigmella styracicolella is a moth
of the Nepticulidae
family. It is found on Rhodes
and in the Near East
.
The larvae feed on Styrax officinalis
. They mine the leaves of their host plant. The mine consists of a corridor with a central frass 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 on Rhodes
Rhodes
Rhodes is an island in Greece, located in the eastern Aegean Sea. It is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in terms of both land area and population, with a population of 117,007, and also the island group's historical capital. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within...
and in the Near East
Near East
The Near East is a geographical term that covers different countries for geographers, archeologists, and historians, on the one hand, and for political scientists, economists, and journalists, on the other...
.
The larvae feed on Styrax officinalis
Styrax officinalis
Styrax offinalis is a shrub native to southern Europe and the Middle East. The same species is considered to occur native to California . The California varieties Styrax officinalis subsp. redidivus H. Howard and Styrax officinalis subsp...
. They mine the leaves of their host plant. The mine consists of a corridor with a central frass line. Pupation takes place outside of the mine.