Mompha raschkiella
Encyclopedia
Mompha raschkiella is a species
of micromoth
in the Momphidae
family. The moth was discovered by British entomologist Philipp Christoph Zeller
in 1838.
is 7–11 mm (0.275590551181102–0.433070866141732 ). Adults are on wing in May and again in August. There are two generations per year. The moth is small and distinctively marked. The species could be confused with Mompha locupletella
, but it lacks that species contrasting dark and light patches at the base of the forewing.
. They can be found in waste ground, woodland clearings, heathland, and roadside verges. The moth is rare in Belgium
. The moth is common and widely distributed on the Isle of Wight
and in southern Hampshire
. They can be found in the woods of Northwich
. The moth is common in Suffolk
, especially in coastal areas and Brecks
. The species has been recorded by the St. Helens Wilflife Recording Group as scarce in St. Helens, Merseyside. As of October 2009, the moth has been recorded in 9.6% of Huntingdonshire
.
s feed on the leaves of Epilobium angustifolium (Rosebay Willowherb). The caterpillars mine the leaves of Rosebay Willowherb. They cause a yellowish blotch on the leaves of E. angustifolium that bleach rapidly after the caterpillars leave them. The caterpillars occur in May to late July and late August to September They overwinter as a pupa
. Pupation occurs among detritus
on the ground.
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 micromoth
Microlepidoptera
Microlepidoptera is an artificial grouping of moth families, commonly known as the 'smaller moths' . These generally have a wingspan of under 20 mm, and are thus harder to identify by external phenotypic markings than macrolepidoptera...
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. The moth was discovered by British entomologist Philipp Christoph Zeller
Philipp Christoph Zeller
Philipp Christoph Zeller was a German entomologist.Zeller was born at Steinheim Württemberg, two miles from Marbach, the birthplace of Schiller. The family moved to Frankfurt where Philip went to the gymnasium where natural history was not taught. Instead, helped by Alois Metzner, he taught...
in 1838.
Description
The wingspanWingspan
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 7–11 mm (0.275590551181102–0.433070866141732 ). Adults are on wing in May and again in August. There are two generations per year. The moth is small and distinctively marked. The species could be confused with Mompha locupletella
Mompha locupletella
Mompha locupletella is a moth in the Momphidae family. It found in northern Europe and mountainous areas in central and southern Europe up to north-western Spain. In the east, the range extends to Zabaykalsky Krai and the Kuriles....
, but it lacks that species contrasting dark and light patches at the base of the forewing.
Habitat
It species is endemic to EuropeEurope
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...
. They can be found in waste ground, woodland clearings, heathland, and roadside verges. The moth is rare in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. The moth is common and widely distributed on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
and in southern Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
. They can be found in the woods of Northwich
Northwich
Northwich is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It lies in the heart of the Cheshire Plain, at the confluence of the rivers Weaver and Dane...
. The moth is common in Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, especially in coastal areas and Brecks
Brecks
Brecks is a suburb of Rotherham in South Yorkshire, England. It is situated roughly 2 miles from central Rotherham. Brecks borders the suburb Wickersley....
. The species has been recorded by the St. Helens Wilflife Recording Group as scarce in St. Helens, Merseyside. As of October 2009, the moth has been recorded in 9.6% of Huntingdonshire
Huntingdonshire
Huntingdonshire is a local government district of Cambridgeshire, covering the area around Huntingdon. Traditionally it is a county in its own right...
.
Caterpillars
The oval eggs are laid on the surface of leaves, usually near the midrib. The caterpillars are yellow with a brown head. They have a thoracic plate and an anal plate. The caterpillarCaterpillar
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 the leaves of Epilobium angustifolium (Rosebay Willowherb). The caterpillars mine the leaves of Rosebay Willowherb. They cause a yellowish blotch on the leaves of E. angustifolium that bleach rapidly after the caterpillars leave them. The caterpillars occur in May to late July and late August to September They overwinter as a pupa
Pupa
A pupa is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation. The pupal stage is found only in holometabolous insects, those that undergo a complete metamorphosis, going through four life stages; embryo, larva, pupa and imago...
. Pupation occurs among detritus
Detritus
Detritus is a biological term used to describe dead or waste organic material.Detritus may also refer to:* Detritus , a geological term used to describe the particles of rock produced by weathering...
on the ground.