Mompha divisella
Encyclopedia
Mompha divisella is a moth
in the Momphidae
family. It found from southern Scandinavia
to the Caucasus
and central Asia
.
The wingspan
is 10-13 mm. Adults are on wing from August to May of the following year after overwintering.
The larvae feed on Epilobium
species, including Epilobium montanum
, Epilobium palustre
, Epilobium parviflorum
, Epilobium adenocaulon and Epilobium lanceolatum. They have also been recorded on Epilobium alpinum and Chamaenerion angustifolium, but these records need confirmation. The larvae feed inside the stem of their host plant, near the base of the leaf. Feeding causes a gall to be formed. Pupation takes place in the gall inside a white cocoon. Larvae can be found from June to July.
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...
in the Momphidae
Momphidae
Momphidae is a family of moths. These tend to be rather small moths with a wingspan of up to 21 mm. The wings are held folded over the body at rest...
family. It found from southern Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
to the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
and central Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
.
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 10-13 mm. Adults are on wing from August to May of the following year after overwintering.
The larvae feed on Epilobium
Epilobium
Epilobium is a genus in the family Onagraceae, containing about 160-200 species of flowering plants with a worldwide distribution. They are generally abundant in the subarctic, temperate and subantarctic regions, whereas in the subtropics and tropics they are restricted to the cool montane biomes,...
species, including Epilobium montanum
Epilobium montanum
Epilobium montanum or Broad-leaved Willowherb is a species of willowherb....
, Epilobium palustre
Epilobium palustre
Epilobium palustre is a species of willowherb known by the common name marsh willowherb. This plant has a circumboreal distribution, and can be found farther south in mountainous areas. This is a hairy perennial growing spindly stems sometimes exceeding half a meter in height. Its stems have...
, Epilobium parviflorum
Epilobium parviflorum
Epilobium parviflorum, commonly known as Smallflower Hairy Willowherb, is a herbaceous perennial plant belonging to the Onagraceae family.-Etymology:...
, Epilobium adenocaulon and Epilobium lanceolatum. They have also been recorded on Epilobium alpinum and Chamaenerion angustifolium, but these records need confirmation. The larvae feed inside the stem of their host plant, near the base of the leaf. Feeding causes a gall to be formed. Pupation takes place in the gall inside a white cocoon. Larvae can be found from June to July.