Momphidae

40.007 Dusky Hourglass Mompha Mompha bradleyi Riedl, 1965

Notable B

Similar species:

Forewing: 4.5 to 5.5mm

Habitats: Damp fields, marshes, ditches and also in drier urban areas.

Habits: The moth flies amongst the foodplant during the day and later comes to light.

Foodplant: The larva mines a stalk of Great Willowherb. It mines the pith of a thinner top or side stalk, especially a flower stalk, causing an oval shaped gall to form, usually on a node and sometimes causing it to redden. If there is a second gall in the stem it is usually away from the nodes. Top galls may stunt the plants growth, side galls usually do not. The larva is a dirty white, the head is dark brown, the prothoracic plate, thoracic legs and anal plate are all pale brown. An exit hole covered by some stem bark is made at the bottom of the mine and this is lined with silk. A white cocoon is spun there when the larva pupates in June.