Crambidae

63.1145 Irish China-mark Elophila rivulalis (Duponchel, [1834])

Similar species:

Forewing: 8 to 9mm

Habitats: A marsh fed by seepage from an adjacent canal.

Habits: The moth is easily disturbed from aquatic vegetation during the day. A colony of at least 40 moths was first recorded in Ireland in County Kildare on 10th July 2017.

Foodplant: The early stages have not yet been recorded in Britain, but are likely to be similar to those of Brown China-mark, which are as follows: The young aquatic larva mines a leaf and later lives in a floating case comprising of leaf fragments. It feeds on pondweeds, water-plantains, Frogbit, water lilies or bur-reeds. To feed it temporarily spins its case to the underside of a leaf. It pupates in a silk cocoon disguised with bits of leaf and spun to a stem just under the water surface.