Ectoedemia hannoverella
Encyclopedia
Ectoedemia hannoverella is a moth
of the Nepticulidae
family. It is found from most of Europe
(except Ireland
) to southern Siberia
and European Russia
, but it is most common in central Europe. It was not recorded in Great Britain
until 2002 when mines were found in fallen leaves of Italian poplar.
The wingspan
is 6–7 mm. Adults are on wing from April to May in western Europe.
The larvae feed on Populus x canadensis and Populus nigra. They mine the leaves of their host plant. They only feed at night. The first instar larva bores in the petiole, causing local swelling. Once the larva has reached the leaf disc it begins forming an elongate blotch between the leaf margin and the most lateral vein, or in some cases between the midrib and the first lateral vein. The frass is concentrated in two stripes running parallel to the sides of the mine. 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 from most 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 Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
) to southern Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
and European Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, but it is most common in central Europe. It was not recorded in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
until 2002 when mines were found in fallen leaves of Italian poplar.
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 6–7 mm. Adults are on wing from April to May in western Europe.
The larvae feed on Populus x canadensis and Populus nigra. They mine the leaves of their host plant. They only feed at night. The first instar larva bores in the petiole, causing local swelling. Once the larva has reached the leaf disc it begins forming an elongate blotch between the leaf margin and the most lateral vein, or in some cases between the midrib and the first lateral vein. The frass is concentrated in two stripes running parallel to the sides of the mine. Pupation takes place outside of the mine.