Stigmella ilicifoliella
Encyclopedia
Stigmella ilicifoliella is a moth
of the Nepticulidae
family. It is widespread in Portugal
and Spain
. In France
, it is known from old specimens along the Atlantic coast near Bordeaux and in the Hérault and the Côte d’Azur near Cannes.
The wingspan
is 6-6.6 mm. Adults are on wing from June to early September.
The larvae feed on Quercus ilex, Quercus ilex rotundifolia and Quercus suber. They mine the leaves of their host plant. The mine consists of an irregular, broad corridor with a broad frass line that almost fills the gallery, leaving only a narrow transparent zone at either side. 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 widespread in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. In 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...
, it is known from old specimens along the Atlantic coast near Bordeaux and in the Hérault and the Côte d’Azur near Cannes.
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 6-6.6 mm. Adults are on wing from June to early September.
The larvae feed on Quercus ilex, Quercus ilex rotundifolia and Quercus suber. They mine the leaves of their host plant. The mine consists of an irregular, broad corridor with a broad frass line that almost fills the gallery, leaving only a narrow transparent zone at either side. Pupation takes place outside of the mine.