Stigmella braunella
Encyclopedia
Stigmella braunella is a moth
of the Nepticulidae
family. It is found in California
.
The wingspan
is 5.4-6.6 mm. There are two generations per year with late instar larvae being encountered throughout the year.
The larvae feed on Prunus ilicifolia
. They mine the leaves of their host plant. The mine is located on the upper-surface and is linear or serpentine and convoluted terminally and in this region frequently crossing itself or forming a blotch. Later it gradually increasing in width throughout its length. The frass
is deposited centrally as a continuous line.
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 in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
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 5.4-6.6 mm. There are two generations per year with late instar larvae being encountered throughout the year.
The larvae feed on Prunus ilicifolia
Prunus ilicifolia
Prunus ilicifolia is an evergreen shrub to tree, producing edible cherries, with shiny and spiny toothed leaves similar in appearance to holly...
. They mine the leaves of their host plant. The mine is located on the upper-surface and is linear or serpentine and convoluted terminally and in this region frequently crossing itself or forming a blotch. Later it gradually increasing in width throughout its length. The frass
Frass
Frass is the fine powdery material phytophagous insects pass as waste after digesting plant parts. It causes plants to excrete chitinase due to high chitin levels, it is a natural bloom stimulant, and has high nutrient levels. Frass is known to have abundant amoeba, beneficial bacteria, and fungi...
is deposited centrally as a continuous line.