Tischeria ekebladella
Encyclopedia
Tischeria ekebladella is a moth
of the Tischeriidae family. It is found in most of Europe
and the Caucasus
.
The wingspan
is 8-11 mm. Adults are on wing from May to June depending on the location.
The larvae feed on Castanea mollissima
, Castanea sativa, Quercus cerris, Quercus dalechampii, Quercus faginea, Quercus frainetteo, Quercus macranthera
, Quercus macrocarpa, Quercus macrolepis
, Quercus pedunculiflora, Quercus petraea, Quercus pubescens, Quercus robur, Quercus rubra and Quercus serrata x turneri. They mine
the leaves of their host plant. The mine consists of a milky white upper-surface primary blotch, sometimes with an orange hue. There is no trace of a preceding corridor. The inside is lined with silk, but the mine remains completely flat. The larva makes a discoid cocoon, where it rests when not feeding. The mine contains practically no frass
, which is removed through a cut in the upper epidermis near the margin of the mine. Pupation takes place within 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 Tischeriidae 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...
and 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...
.
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 8-11 mm. Adults are on wing from May to June depending on the location.
The larvae feed on Castanea mollissima
Castanea mollissima
Castanea mollissima is a member of the family Fagaceae, and a species of chestnut native to China.- Description :...
, Castanea sativa, Quercus cerris, Quercus dalechampii, Quercus faginea, Quercus frainetteo, Quercus macranthera
Quercus macranthera
Quercus macranthera, commonly called the Caucasian Oak, or the Persian Oak, is a species of deciduous tree native to Western Asia Quercus macranthera, commonly called the Caucasian Oak, or the Persian Oak, is a species of deciduous tree native to Western Asia Quercus macranthera, commonly called...
, Quercus macrocarpa, Quercus macrolepis
Quercus macrolepis
Quercus macrolepis, the Valonia oak, is a tree in the family Fagaceae.It is found in the Southern Mediterranean, in the Balkans including the Greek Islands, in Morocco, and in Asia Minor.-Description:...
, Quercus pedunculiflora, Quercus petraea, Quercus pubescens, Quercus robur, Quercus rubra and Quercus serrata x turneri. They mine
Leaf miner
Leaf miner is a term used to describe the larvae of many different species of insect which live in and eat the leaf tissue of plants. The vast majority of leaf-mining insects are moths , sawflies and flies , though some beetles and wasps also exhibit this behavior.Like Woodboring beetles, leaf...
the leaves of their host plant. The mine consists of a milky white upper-surface primary blotch, sometimes with an orange hue. There is no trace of a preceding corridor. The inside is lined with silk, but the mine remains completely flat. The larva makes a discoid cocoon, where it rests when not feeding. The mine contains practically no 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...
, which is removed through a cut in the upper epidermis near the margin of the mine. Pupation takes place within the mine.