- Micropterix calthella
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Micropterix calthella 
Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Lepidoptera Family: Micropterigidae Genus: Micropterix Species: M. calthella Binomial name Micropterix calthella
(Linnaeus, 1761)Synonyms - Phalaena (Tinea) calthella Linnaeus, 1761
- Tinea urticella Costa, 1834
- Eriocephala sulcatella Bentley, 1845
- Micropteryx silesiaca Toll, 1942
- Tinea pusilella Hübner, 1813
- Micropterix pusilella (Hübner, 1813)
The Marsh Marygold Moth (Micropterix calthella) is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. It is found in damp habitats throughout Europe (except for the far south) and is also distributed eastwards to central Siberia.
Illustration from John Curtis's British Entomology Volume 6
This rather small moth has a forewing length of up to 4.6 mm. This is one of the more plainly marked Micropterix species of Europe, with rather dark bronze-coloured forewings with distinctive purple bases. Like other members of the family, this species has functional jaws and it feeds as an adult on pollen grains from a wide variety of plants such as Acer, Ajuga, Caltha, Cardamine, Carex, Crataegus, Mercurialis and Ranunculus.
References
- Zeller-Lukashort, H. Christof; et al (2007). "A review of Micropterix Hübner, 1825 from northern and central Europe (Micropterigidae)". Nota Lepidopterologica 30 (2): 235–298. http://www.nkis.info/nkis/vortrag/03_Zeller.pdf.
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