Trifurcula stoechadella
Encyclopedia
Trifurcula stoechadella is a moth
of the Nepticulidae
family. It is found in the western Mediterranean Region, from France
and the Iberian Peninsula
to Corsica
and Italy
.
The larvae feed on Lavandula stoechas
. The mine
the leaves of their host plant. The mine consists of a fine, upper-surface corridor. The mine fully circles the leaf margin, then descends through the petiole and stem to the leaf below. This is repeated two more times. Only in the third and latest leaf, the mine has become full depth. Initially, the frass
is deposited in an extremely narrow line that fills the entire gallery, later in a broad black central line that leaves as broad clear margin at either side.
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 the western Mediterranean Region, from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and 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...
to Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
The larvae feed on Lavandula stoechas
Lavandula stoechas
Lavandula stoechas occurs naturally in the Mediterranean region.-Description:A perennial shrub, it usually grows to 30–100 cm tall and wide...
. The 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 fine, upper-surface corridor. The mine fully circles the leaf margin, then descends through the petiole and stem to the leaf below. This is repeated two more times. Only in the third and latest leaf, the mine has become full depth. Initially, 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 in an extremely narrow line that fills the entire gallery, later in a broad black central line that leaves as broad clear margin at either side.