Stigmella luteella
Encyclopedia
Stigmella luteella is a moth
of the Nepticulidae
family. It is found in all of Europe, except the Iberian Peninsula
and the Balkan Peninsula.
The wingspan
is 4–5 mm. Adults are on wing from May to July.
The larvae feed on Betula nana, Betula pendula and Betula pubescens. They mine the leaves of their host plant. The mine consists of a slender corridor. The first part consists of a some close loops around the oviposition site. The later part is much less contorted, with a frass line that occupies one third to one half of the width of the gallery. 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 in all of Europe, 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...
and the Balkan Peninsula.
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 4–5 mm. Adults are on wing from May to July.
The larvae feed on Betula nana, Betula pendula and Betula pubescens. They mine the leaves of their host plant. The mine consists of a slender corridor. The first part consists of a some close loops around the oviposition site. The later part is much less contorted, with a frass line that occupies one third to one half of the width of the gallery. Pupation takes place outside of the mine.