Agonopterix nanatella

Agonopterix nanatella
Agonopterix nanatella
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Oecophoridae (disputed)
Genus: Agonopterix
Species: A. nanatella
Binomial name
Agonopterix nanatella
(Stainton, 1849)[1]
Synonyms
  • Depressaria nanatella Stainton, 1849
  • Depressaria aridella Mann, 1869

Agonopterix nanatella is a moth of the Oecophoridae family. It is found in most of Europe, except Fennoscandia, Poland, Ukraine, the Baltic region and most of the Balkan Peninsula.

Plant of Carlina vulgaris with mined leaves
Larva

The wingspan is 15-19 mm.[2] Adults are on wing from July to August.[3]

The larvae of ssp. nanatella feed on Carlina vulgaris. They initially mine the leaves of their host plant. The mine has the form of a blotch mine. Older larvae vacate their mines and continues feeding from within a rolled leaf.[4] The larvae of ssp. aridella feed on Cirsium species. They may also create a blotch mine, which is full depth and little contracted. It is mostly limited to the leaf tip. Not all larvae mine though, some live freely on the leaves of their host. Pupation takes place outside of the mine.[5]

Larvae can be found from April to May (aridella) or June (nanatella). They are pale yellowish green with a black head.

Subspecies

  • Agonopterix nanatella nanatella
  • Agonopterix nanatella aridella Mann, 1869 (southern Europe)

References

  1. ^ Fauna Europaea
  2. ^ microlepidoptera.nl
  3. ^ UKmoths
  4. ^ ssp. nanatella at bladmineerders.nl
  5. ^ ssp. aridella at bladmineerders.nl
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