Aspilapteryx tringipennella (Zeller, 1839) Species
Last modified: April 20, 2021, 8:18 a.m.
An uncommon species in Belgium, occurring in scattered populations all over the country.
Details
- Classification
- Family: Gracillariidae > Subfamily: Gracillariinae > Tribus: Gracillariini > Genus: Aspilapteryx > Species: Aspilapteryx tringipennella
- Vernacular names
- Weegbreesteltmot (NL), Ribwort slender (EN)
- First mention in Belgium
- De Fré Ch. 1858. Catalogue des Microlépidoptères de la Belgique. — Annales de la Société entomologique belge 2: 45–162. On page 146 (as fringipennella). view page
- Status
-
Native
Distribution
Imago
The forewings are ochreous grey, lighter at the costa, and sprinkled all over with dark brown or blackish dots, which are arranged more or less in two horizontal rows. The imago sits with its fore parts high.
Museum specimens
Specimens in nature
Caterpillar
The first instars have the same colour as the plant tissue: light green. In the last instars, the caterpillar gets a greyish-brown colour with a dark brown head capsule.
Mine
The mine starts as a small, gallery leaf mine on the underside of the leaf, but later instars eat their way to the upperside of the leaf, causing a blotch mine in which they spin many threads causing the leaf to fold strongly.
See also gracillariidae.net and bladmineerders.be.
Cocoon/pupa
A pure white cocoon.
Bionomics
The caterpillars of the second generation hibernate. Pupation takes place in the mine, inside a pure white cocoon. The adults are attracted to light.
Flight periods
The adults fly in two generations a year: from late April till late May and again in August.
Observed on
- Host plant (species):
- Plantago lanceolata and Plantago maritima
The larvae feed on Plantago lanceolata, but can occasionally also be found on Plantago maritima.
