Alabonia geoffrella
Encyclopedia
Alabonia geoffrella is a species
of gelechioid moth. Here, it is placed within the subfamily Oecophorinae
of the concealer moth family
(Oecophoridae). Alternatively it has been placed in the Elachistidae
or Depressariinae
together with its presumed closest relatives.
It is found in Europe
, where it is not rare in many woodland
s and marshlands. The adults fly from May to June depending on the location. The wingspan
of this diurnal moth
is 17-21 mm, and it is quite colorful, with a light to dark rusty-red background, bold white markings and a more delicate metallic-blue pattern. The labial palps are conspicuously enlarged.
The caterpillar
s feed on rotting wood; mostly living under tree bark, they have also been found inside dead branches of Common Hazel
(Corylus avellana) and blackberries (Rubus
subgenus Rubus section Rubus).
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of gelechioid moth. Here, it is placed within the subfamily Oecophorinae
Oecophorinae
| image = Philobota1.jpg| image_width = 250px| image_caption = Adult of Philobota arabella or a related species,Aranda | regnum = Animalia| phylum = Arthropoda| classis = Insecta| ordo = Lepidoptera| subordo = Glossata| infraordo = Heteroneura...
of the concealer moth family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
(Oecophoridae). Alternatively it has been placed in the 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...
or Depressariinae
Depressariinae
| image = Psorosticha zizyphi .jpg| image_width = 240px| image_caption = Adult Psorosticha zizyphi| regnum = Animalia| phylum = Arthropoda| classis = Insecta| ordo = Lepidoptera| subordo = Glossata| infraordo = Heteroneura...
together with its presumed closest relatives.
It is found in 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...
, where it is not rare in many woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
s and marshlands. The adults fly from May to June depending on the location. 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...
of this diurnal moth
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...
is 17-21 mm, and it is quite colorful, with a light to dark rusty-red background, bold white markings and a more delicate metallic-blue pattern. The labial palps are conspicuously enlarged.
The caterpillar
Caterpillar
Caterpillars are the larval form of members of the order Lepidoptera . They are mostly herbivorous in food habit, although some species are insectivorous. Caterpillars are voracious feeders and many of them are considered to be pests in agriculture...
s feed on rotting wood; mostly living under tree bark, they have also been found inside dead branches of Common Hazel
Common Hazel
Corylus avellana, the Common Hazel, is a species of hazel native to Europe and western Asia, from the British Isles south to Iberia, Greece, Turkey and Cyprus, north to central Scandinavia, and east to the central Ural Mountains, the Caucasus, and northwestern Iran. It is an important component of...
(Corylus avellana) and blackberries (Rubus
Rubus
Rubus is a large genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, subfamily Rosoideae. Raspberries, blackberries, and dewberries are common, widely distributed members of the genus. Most of these plants have woody stems with prickles like roses; spines, bristles, and gland-tipped hairs are...
subgenus Rubus section Rubus).