Trifurcula eurema
Encyclopedia
Trifurcula eurema is a moth
of the Nepticulidae
family. It is widespread throughout Europe, northwards to southern Norway
and Sweden
(but not in Finland
), Poland
and the Baltic Region
. It is also found in the Mediterranean Region, including the larger Mediterranean islands, east to Bulgaria
, Asiatic Turkey
and Ukraine
.
The wingspan
is 4.5–7 mm.
The larvae feed on Dorycnium hirsutum
, Dorycnium pentaphyllum
, Dorycnium rectum, Lotus corniculatus
, Lotus cytisoides, Lotus ornithopodoides, Lotus pedunculatus, Lotus uliginosus
and Tetragonolobus maritimus. They mine
the leaves of their host plant. The mine consists of a long narrow corridor with a linear frass
line. The corridor abruptly widens into a blotch that may occupy almost an entire leaflet at the end. The blotch mostly starts at the base of the leaflet, where most frass is concentrated. Pupation normally 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 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 widespread throughout Europe, northwards to southern Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
(but not in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
), Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and the Baltic Region
Baltic region
The terms Baltic region, Baltic Rim countries, and Baltic Rim refer to slightly different combinations of countries in the general area surrounding the Baltic Sea.- Etymology :...
. It is also found in the Mediterranean Region, including the larger Mediterranean islands, east to Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, Asiatic Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
and Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
.
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 4.5–7 mm.
The larvae feed on Dorycnium hirsutum
Dorycnium hirsutum
Dorycnium hirsutum, common name: Hairy Canary Clover, is a perennial plant belonging to the genus Dorycnium of the Fabaceae family.-Description:...
, Dorycnium pentaphyllum
Dorycnium pentaphyllum
Dorycnium pentaphyllum, common name: Prostrate Canary Clover, is a herbaceous perennial plant belonging to the genus Dorycnium of the Fabaceae family. The specific Latin name pentaphyllum derives from the greek pénte meaning five and phýllon meaning leaf, referred to the shape of the...
, Dorycnium rectum, Lotus corniculatus
Lotus corniculatus
Lotus corniculatus is a common flowering plant native to grassland temperate Eurasia and North Africa. The common name is Bird's-foot Trefoil , though the common name is often also applied to other members of the genus...
, Lotus cytisoides, Lotus ornithopodoides, Lotus pedunculatus, Lotus uliginosus
Lotus uliginosus
Lotus pedunculatus , Greater Bird's-foot Trefoil or Marsh Bird's-foot Trefoil is a member of the pea family ....
and Tetragonolobus maritimus. 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 long narrow corridor with a linear 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...
line. The corridor abruptly widens into a blotch that may occupy almost an entire leaflet at the end. The blotch mostly starts at the base of the leaflet, where most frass is concentrated. Pupation normally takes place within the mine.