Elachista gleichenella (Fabricius, 1781) Species
Last modified: Jan. 11, 2026, 7:10 p.m.
A very rare species in Belgium, mostly only the mines are found.
Details
- Classification
- Family: Elachistidae > Subfamily: Elachistinae > Genus: Elachista > Species: Elachista gleichenella
- Vernacular names
- Zeggemineermot (NL), Twin-barred Dwarf (EN)
- Synonyms
- Elachista magnificella (Duponchel, 1843) and Elachista fractella (Herrich-Schäffer, 1855)
- 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 151 (as E.[lachista] Fractella. H. S.). view page
- Status
-
Native
Distribution
Imago
Wingspan 9 mm. This small but attractive species has a slight metallic sheen to the yellowish-white fasciae on the forewing.
Museum specimens
Specimens in nature
Genitalia
Caterpillar
Bionomics
The larvae make an erratic meandering gallery and during the following spring it expands and the mine becomes an irregular elongated blotch, it often occupies the full width of the leaf.
It pupates in a loose cocoon external.
The adults come to light.
Flight periods
The adults fly in one generation a year from late May till early August.
Observed on
- Host plant (species):
- Carex flacca, Carex echinata and Carex paniculata
- Host plant (genera):
- Carex and Luzula
The larva lives on different species of Luzula and Carex.
Habitat
Cool forest on calcareous soil.
No pictures yet!
