Aspilapteryx tringipennella
This record describes Aspilapteryx tringipennella (species). Recorded family: Gracillariidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 10-13 mm. A close relative of the genus Caloptilia , this species rests in a similar manner, with the forepart of the body raised on the front legs. The overall appearance is that the moth looks brown above fading to white below and there are rows of small dark spots. The larva mines the leaves of Ribwort Plantain, initialy in narrow gallery under the leaf, later in a blotch over the midrib on the upper side. This contracts, puckering the leaf and causing it to fold up. Pu[paton is in a coccon in the mine. Several species of fly mine plantains, causing galleries Photo of blotch mine. Note host species There are two generations in the year, the adults being on the wing in May and again in August. The second generation overwinters as a larva. Widespread but with most records coming from the southern half of Britain. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common. http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/A.tringipennella.htm https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/gracillarioidea/gracillariidae/gracillariinae/aspilapteryx/aspilapteryx-tringipennella/
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Family
- Gracillariidae
- Genus
- Caloptilia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Various.
Seasonal Activity
There are two generations in the year, the adults being on the wing in May and again in August.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The second generation overwinters as a larva.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Widespread but with most records coming from the southern half of Britain. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Aspilapteryx tringipennella. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Aspilapteryx tringipennella (10)
Frequently Asked Questions About Aspilapteryx tringipennella
What is Aspilapteryx tringipennella?
Aspilapteryx tringipennella is a species in the family Gracillariidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Aspilapteryx tringipennella found?
Habitat: Various.
When is Aspilapteryx tringipennella active?
Aspilapteryx tringipennella: seasonal activity - There are two generations in the year, the adults being on the wing in May and again in August..
What is the life cycle of a Aspilapteryx tringipennella?
The second generation overwinters as a larva.