Leaf-miner
and case-bearer: Larva in a slender, brownish black, bivalved
sheath case of 7-8 mm. The oral half is tubular, the rear part strongly
laterally compressed. Mouth angle 30°.
Actually
the case only looks like a sheath case. The larva cuts off mined
leaves, after having removed the complete leaf margin: what is left
is an upper and a lower epidermis, connected by the stub of the
petiole. Leaves treated in this way are placed in front of the old
case, the stub dorsally, and pointing forwards. The stubs together
form a low dorsal keel. The case in fact is a composite leaf case.
However, the larva adds so much silk (also because the leaves are
too small to form a complete tube) the the leaf fragments are obliterated
(Emmet et al., 1996a) (Bladmineerders van Europa).
Larva: The larvae of moths have a head capsule and chewing mouthparts with opposable mandibles (see video of a gracillarid larva feeding), six thoracic legs and abdominal legs (see examples).
A differential character is that the larva of niveicostella
has the metanotum unicolorous with remainder of the pale greenish
body, while in albitarsella the metanotum bears two oval
black sclerites. See Suire (1961a) and Emmet at al. (1996a) for
descriptions of the larva (Bladmineerders van Europa).
Pupa: The pupae of moths have visible head appendages, wings and legs which lie in sheaths (see examples).
Adult:
The adult is not illustrated in UKMoths (check for update). The species is included in mothdissection.co.uk.
Hosts in Great Britain and Ireland:
Hosts
elsewhere:
Time
of year - larvae:
Mid June (Bladmineerders van Europa).
Time
of year - adults: Currently unknown.
Distribution
in Great Britain and Ireland: Britain including Dorset,
East Kent, Hertfordshire, North Hampshire, Surrey and West Norfolk
(NBN
Atlas).
Distribution
elsewhere: Widespread in continental Europe including Albania,
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Danish mainland,
French mainland, Germany, Greek mainland, Hungary, Italian mainland,
Latvia, Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spanish
mainland, Sweden, Switzerland and The Netherlands. Also recorded
in Near East and North Africa (Fauna Europaea).
NBN Atlas links to known host species:
British and Irish Parasitoids in Britain and elsewhere: Currently unknown.
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