Lepidoptera88 species

Family Grass Miner Moths (Elachistidae)

Elachistidae is a family in the order Lepidoptera. Browse 88 named species recorded in this family, or open an individual profile for its available identification and natural-history information.

Species in Elachistidae (88)

Elachista albidella - Hodges#1127

Elachista albidella

Identification: Specimen identified by DNA analysis (BOLD).

Elachista albifrontella

Wingspan about 10 mm. Named after the noticeably whitish forehead, the most likely confusion species is E. apicipunctella , which however has an additional white spot in the apical area of the forewing. There are other very similar species in this ge

Elachista apicipunctella

Wingspan 10-11 mm. The adult moth can be identified by its white head and in particular the extra white subapical spot on the forewing beyond the costal and tornal spots. Woodland clearings and well wooded areas. The adult moths emerge in a single ge

Elachista argentella

Wingspan 11 to 12 mm. This is a small, all-white species. It occurs in grassy habitats, flower meadows etc. The adults are on the wing mostly in June and July, and fly from evening onwards, being attracted to light after darkness. They can be disturb

Elachista bisulcella

Areas where the larval foodplants occur. Adult moths can be found on the wing between May and September in the south, probably in two generations, and in July and August further north. The larva feeds on Tufted Hair-grass (Deschampsia cespitosa) and

Elachista brachyelytrifoliella - Hodges#1132

Elachista brachyelytrifoliella

Identification: Adult : The basal third of the FW is gray, shading to dark blackish brown outwardly. A white line follows the costal margin from near the base of the costa, diverging from the costa as a short streak ending just within the dark brown

Elachista canapennella

Wingspan 8 to10 mm. The males of this species are relatively plain greyish brown with indistinct darker mottling. The females are quite different, being smaller with much more distinctive dark grey ground colour with white markings. Various habitats

Elachista epimicta - Hodges#1081

Elachista epimicta

Identification: Decription of Elachista epimicta Braun, is available online in the print references. Specimen identified by DNA analysis (BOLD).

Elachista freyerella

Wingspan about 8 mm. This diminutive species varies in the intensity of the grey ground colour; some individuals are quite dark with distinct whiter fasciae, some have rather less contrasting markings. Please provide a photograph. Determination by ge

Elachista gleichenella

Wingspan about 9 mm. This small but attractive species has a slight metallic sheen to the yellowish-white fasciae on the forewing. Inhabiting shaded woodland habitats and areas with sedges. There is a single, fairly protracted generation, with moths

Elachista maculicerusella

Wingspan 10 to 12 mm. The small white and dark blotched adult is quite distinctive. Damp habitats such as river and canal banks and marshes. Flies between May and August in one or two broods depending on latitude. The larvae mine the stems of Reed Ca

Elachista orestella - Hodges#1083

Elachista orestella

Identification: Elachista orestella forewing is white with a black spot near the middle of the forewing and at the 2/3 of the wing. The basal 1/6 of the costa is grey. (Kaila 1997). Kaila (1997) reported the members of the genus are not often attract

Elachista regificella

Wingspan about 9 mm. A rather attractive little species, sporting silvery metallic fasciae against a dark fuscous forewing, the central fascia being a (sometimes broken) elongated spot. The larva mines the leaves of Wood-rush species forming a bliste

Elachista rufocinerea

Wingspan 10 to11 mm. A fairly distinctive member of the genus Elachista , with its white ground colour speckled with reddish or buff, sometimes giving rise to a streaky appearance. A species of grassland areas, the larvae feed on a range of grasses,

Elachista stabilella

Wingspan 7 or 8 mm. Forewing dark with distinct white fasciae, however specimens can show less contrasting markings. The head and neck-tufts are white in this species. Unless identified by a recognised expert, a photo is required and the species shou

Elachista triatomea

Elachistidae Wingspan 8 or 9 mm. One of several similar whitish, the specific name triatomea describes the three darker specks on the pale forewing. Grassland, where the larvae mine blades of fescue grasses (Festuca sp.). It is distributed from south

Elachista utonella

Wingspan 8 to 9 mm. Can be reliably separated from other similar Elachista species only by dissection of the genitalia. Wet and boggy areas where sedges (especially Carex species) are found. Larva mines the leaves of various sedges especially certain

Ethmia albicostella - Hodges#1001

Ethmia albicostella

Identification: "Narrow forewings which are evenly divided by a straight, longitudinal line, brownish gray on costal, white on dorsal half" .

Ethmia albistrigella - Hodges#0973

Ethmia albistrigella

widespread in the mountains of Western North America

Ethmia apicipunctella - Hodges#0978

Ethmia apicipunctella

Identification: Annika Salzberg used the presence of these features to determine her identification (A) Four black spots grouped closely together (B) Apical black spot that doesn’t extend to edge of wing (this rules out E. longimaculella coranella) (

Ethmia epileuca - Hodges#0977

Ethmia epileuca

Identification: Detailed description can be found in Powell at link in citations below.

Ethmia macelhosiella - Hodges#0982

Ethmia macelhosiella

Identification: Narrow gray forewings having a wide irregular black streak from base to apex. Hindwing is pale brown to dirty white. ( 3 )

Gray Ethmia - Hodges#0987

Ethmia monticola

Identification: Adult - see original description in Print References. Not strongly attracted to lights.

Ethmia nadia - Hodges#0974

Ethmia nadia

Identification: Detailed description by Powell can be found at link in citations below.

Ethmia nivosella

This is the species treated as nivosella by Powell (1973). Powell had not seen the type of the species and considered it likely to prove a senior synonym of scythropa (Walsingham, 1912), making the species shown on this page undescribed. In that case

Ethmia nr. piperella - Hodges#0985.5

Ethmia nr-piperella

The Ethmia piperella group was erected by Powell in his monograph on New World Ethmiinae to accommodate a single species, Ethmia piperella , he described from specimens from Jamaica and Cuba.

Ethmia prattiella - Hodges#1007

Ethmia prattiella

Ethmia prattiella - Hodges#1007 (Ethmia prattiella) is a species in the family Elachistidae, commonly known as grass miner moths, belonging to the order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths). It is classified within the subfamily Ethmiinae, superfamily

Ethmia trifurcella - Hodges#1003

Ethmia trifurcella

Identification: The original description as Anesychia trifurcella Chambers, is available online in the print references below.

Haplochrois bipunctella - Hodges#1465

Haplochrois bipunctella

Identification: Specimen identified by DNA analysis (BOLD). Mike Quinn

Perittia obscurepunctella

Wingspan about 9 mm. A small, indistinctly marked moth. The larvae mine Honeysuckle, creating a large blotch mine Leafmine: Please provide photographs including a back-lit photograph showing the frass pattern. Please also state the host plant. Inhabi