Trifurcula globulariae
Encyclopedia
Trifurcula globulariae is a moth
of the Nepticulidae
family. It is only known from Macedonia
.
The larvae feed on Globularia meridionalis
. The mine
the leaves of their host plant. The mine consists of a narrow, straight corridor, entirely filled with frass
. Later, the corridor widens strongly. Here the frass lies in a heavy, irregular, often interrupted black line.
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 only known from Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
.
The larvae feed on Globularia meridionalis
Globularia meridionalis
Globularia meridionalis is a species of Globularia. It is a perennial plant. It has a dark evergreen foliage and bright blue spherical flowerheads....
. The 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 narrow, straight corridor, entirely filled with 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...
. Later, the corridor widens strongly. Here the frass lies in a heavy, irregular, often interrupted black line.