Stigmella atrata
Encyclopedia
Stigmella atrata is a moth
of the Nepticulidae
family. It is found in New Zealand
.
The length of the forewings is about 4 mm. Adults have been recorded in January, February, November and December. There is probably one generation per year.
The larvae feed on Brachyglottis reinoldii. They mine
the leaves of their host plant. The mine gives the appearance of a chain of empty cells, as though larva eats contents and leaves walls more or less intact. The frass
visible only in the last part of the gallery. Larva have been recorded in April, May, July and September. They are about 4 mm long, pale brown. The cocoon is brown and spun among debris on the ground.
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 New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
The length of the forewings is about 4 mm. Adults have been recorded in January, February, November and December. There is probably one generation per year.
The larvae feed on Brachyglottis reinoldii. 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 gives the appearance of a chain of empty cells, as though larva eats contents and leaves walls more or less intact. 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...
visible only in the last part of the gallery. Larva have been recorded in April, May, July and September. They are about 4 mm long, pale brown. The cocoon is brown and spun among debris on the ground.