Elachista gleichenella
Encyclopedia
Elachista gleichenella is a moth
of the Elachistidae
family. It is found in most of Europe
(except the Iberian Peninsula
), east into northern Russia
.
The wingspan
is 8–9 mm.
The larvae feed on Carex curvula, Carex digitata, Carex divulsa, Carex echinata
, Carex flacca
, Carex humilis, Carex laevigata
, Carex montana, Carex morrowii, Carex muricata, Carex ornithopoda, Carex otrubae, Carex paniculata, Carex pendula
, Carex pilosa, Carex sempervirens, Carex sylvatica, Carex umbrosa
, Deschampsia cespitosa, Luzula luzuloides, Luzula pilosa
, Luzula plumose and Luzula sylvatica
. Young larvae form a narrow meandering corridor, which gradually widens to nearly the full width of the leaf. The larvae make a new mine in early winter most of the time. This mine is brown and situated close to (or within) the red coloured dying apical part of the leaf. 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 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...
family. It is found in 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 the Iberian Peninsula
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
), east into northern 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...
.
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 8–9 mm.
The larvae feed on Carex curvula, Carex digitata, Carex divulsa, Carex echinata
Carex echinata
Carex echinata is a species of sedge known by the common names star sedge and little prickly sedge.-Distribution:This plant is native to North and Central America and parts of Eurasia. Carex echinata is a plant of wet forests, marshes, and mountain meadows of moderate elevation...
, Carex flacca
Carex flacca
Carex flacca, with common names blue sedge, gray carex, glaucous sedge, or carnation-grass, , is a species of sedge native to parts of Europe and North Africa....
, Carex humilis, Carex laevigata
Carex laevigata
Carex laevigata is a species of sedge. It lives in moist, shady environment in the lowlands of Western and Central Europe, particularly in alder–ash woodland. It is distinguished from similar species, such as C. binervis and C. distans by the presence of tiny red dots on the utricles...
, Carex montana, Carex morrowii, Carex muricata, Carex ornithopoda, Carex otrubae, Carex paniculata, Carex pendula
Carex pendula
Carex pendula is a large sedge of the genus Carex. It occurs in woodland, scrubland, hedges and beside streams, preferring damp, heavy clay soils...
, Carex pilosa, Carex sempervirens, Carex sylvatica, Carex umbrosa
Carex umbrosa
Carex umbrosa is a species of sedge native to Europe and Asia as far east as Japan....
, Deschampsia cespitosa, Luzula luzuloides, Luzula pilosa
Luzula pilosa
Luzula pilosa is a species of flowering plant in the rush family....
, Luzula plumose and Luzula sylvatica
Luzula sylvatica
Luzula sylvatica, the great wood-rush, is a plant of the genus Luzula....
. Young larvae form a narrow meandering corridor, which gradually widens to nearly the full width of the leaf. The larvae make a new mine in early winter most of the time. This mine is brown and situated close to (or within) the red coloured dying apical part of the leaf. Pupation takes place outside of the mine.