Trifurcula headleyella
Encyclopedia
Trifurcula headleyella is a moth
of the Nepticulidae
family. It is found in all Europe, with the possible exception of Ireland
and the Mediterranean Islands
The wingspan
is 4.2-5.8 mm.
The larvae feed on Prunella grandiflora
, Prunella laciniata
and Prunella vulgaris
. The mine the leaves of their host plant. The mine consists of a very long corridor, often following the midrib or the leaf margin, widening in the end into an irregular elongate blotch. The larva may move to another or even a third leaf (all the while mining) by way of the petioles and stem. 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 Europe, with the possible exception of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and the Mediterranean Islands
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 4.2-5.8 mm.
The larvae feed on Prunella grandiflora
Prunella grandiflora
Prunella grandiflora is an ornamental plant in the Lamiaceae family.-External links:*...
, Prunella laciniata
Prunella laciniata
For the species commonly known as large self-heal, see Prunella grandiflora.Prunella laciniata is a plant in the Lamiaceae family....
and Prunella vulgaris
Prunella vulgaris
Prunella vulgaris, known as common selfheal, heal-all, heart-of-the-earth, is a medicinal plant in the genus Prunella. It grows 5 to 30 cms high , with creeping, self-rooting, tough, square, reddish stems branching at leaf axis...
. The mine the leaves of their host plant. The mine consists of a very long corridor, often following the midrib or the leaf margin, widening in the end into an irregular elongate blotch. The larva may move to another or even a third leaf (all the while mining) by way of the petioles and stem. Pupation takes place outside of the mine.