Elachistidae

38.039 Canary-grass Miner Elachista maculicerusella (Bruand, 1859)

Common

Similar species:

Forewing: 4 to 5.5mm

Habitats: Marshes, fens and river-banks

Habits: The moth comes to light.

Foodplant: The larva mines a leaf of Common Reed, Reed Canary-grass or Cock's-foot. It initially makes a narrow gallery before overwintering. In the spring it moves to a new leaf and makes a large whitish-green blotch mine descending from the tip of a leaf with the frass scattered irregularly at the top. The larva is pale yellow, with a pale brown head, while the prothoracic plate is a similar colour to the body with a small brown triangle on each side. It pupates on a leaf or stem (often the mined leaf) attached with a silk girdle.

On the European mainland it has also been recorded feeding on False Oat-grass, False Brome, Hungarian Brome, Flattened Meadow-grass, Wood Small-reed, Common Couch, Canary-grass, Wheat, Meadow Foxtail and Meadow Fescue.