Elachistidae

38.030 White-headed Grass-miner Elachista albifrontella (Hübner, [1817])

Common

Similar species:

Forewing: 4 to 4.5mm

Habitats: Most grasslands, including meadows, woodland clearings and gardens.

Habits: The moth occasionally comes to light.

Foodplant: The larva mines leaves of Cock's-foot, Creeping Soft-grass, Yorkshire Fog, Tufted Hair-grass, Crested Hair-grass, Common Couch, Red Fescue, Smooth Meadow-grass, Rough Meadow-grass, Wood Millet, Velvet Bent, False Oat-grass, Reed Canary-grass and Meadow Foxtail. It mines down from the upper part of a leaf forming a whitish blotch with narrow greenish-brown streaks of frass. The mine may take up the width of the blade and eventually take up the whole leaf, although the larva often changes leaves a couple of times in which case the blotches are much shorter. The larva is a creamy-yellow and the head is pale brown, although darker below. The prothoracic plate has several small brown spots. It pupates in the leaf litter attached by a silk girdle.

On the European mainland it has also been recorded feeding on Downy Oat-grass, Wood Small-reed, False Brome, Wild Oats, Wheat and Hairy Wood-rush.