Seq # 185140010

Euspilapteryx auroguttella Stephens, 1835 Species

Last modified: May 5, 2024, 2:39 p.m.


A fairly common species in Belgium.


Details

Classification
Family: Gracillariidae > Subfamily: Gracillariinae > Tribus: Gracillariini > Genus: Euspilapteryx > Species: Euspilapteryx auroguttella
Vernacular names
Hertshooisteltmot (NL), Gold-dot slender (EN)
Synonyms
Euspilapteryx lacertella (Zeller, 1839)
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 lacertella). view page
Status

Native


Distribution


Imago

Forewings with dark grey ground colour, four golden-yellow spots of varying measures, the two basal ones always the largest.

Museum specimens

No pictures yet!

Specimens in nature


Genitalia


Mine

The first instars make a narrow, but long, tortuous gallery in the lower epidermis, containing light brownish frass. Later on this mine is widened into a white blotch.
See also gracillariidae.net and bladmineerders.be.


Cocoon/pupa

Whitish cocoon inside the final roll of cone.

No pictures yet!

Bionomics

Tissue feeding instars line the inside of the mine with silk. The mine becomes visible from the upperside as white patches. Later on, the mine turns brownish and the leaf is folded over the mine. The frass is concentrated in a corner of the mine. The last instars leave the mine and live freely under a downwards folded leaf tip. The last instar constructs a final fold, which sometimes causes the leaf to roll op longitudinally or otherwise resembles a little the cone made by several Caloptilia species. Pupation takes place in this roll or cone, which in most cases drops to the ground. The pupal skin protrudes from the cocoon after emergence of the moth.

No pictures yet!

Flight periods

There are 2 generation per year: the adults fly in April–May and again in July–August.


Observed on

Host plant (species):
Hypericum perforatum, Hypericum pulchrum, Hypericum hirsutum and Hypericum tetrapterum

The larva feeds on several species of Hypericum, mainly H. perforatum, but also on: H. pulchrum, H. hirsutum or H. tetrapterum.

No pictures yet!