Elachistidae

38.038 Speckled Grass-miner Elachista rufocinerea (Haworth, 1828)

Common

Similar species:

Forewing: 5 to 5.5mm

Habitats: Grasslands, heathland and bogs.

Habits: The moth flies at sunset.

Foodplant: The larva mines a leaf of Creeping Soft-grass, Tall Fescue, False Oat-grass or Small Cat's-tail. It makes a broad, always flat, whitish transparent mine with a variable width and scattered grey frass. It will change leaves and there may be more than one larva in a mine. The larva is a dull pale yellow with an olive green dorsal. Its head and narrowly divided prothoracic plate are brown, with darker mouthparts. It pupates under a loose web on a leaf or stem attached by a silk girdle.