Chrysoesthia drurella
This record describes Chrysoesthia drurella (species). Recorded family: Gelechiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 8 to 9 mm. A small but brightly coloured species. The larva mines the leaves of Goosefoot ( Chenopodium ) and Orache ( Atriplex ) and others in this family, forming a contorted gallery, usually with intestine-like loops. Several species of fly also mine Chenopodiaceae and the mines can be similar Frequenting gardens and cultivated land, open ground and wasteland. The moths have two generations, flying in May and June, and again in August and September. The larvae feed by mining the leaves of goosefoot (Chenopodium) and orache (Atriplex), forming a contorted gallery. Distributed widely but locally throughout England, it is rare in Scotland and not known in Ireland or Wales. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local. http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/C.drurella.htm https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/gelechioidea/gelechiidae/gelechiinae/anomologini/chrysoesthia/chrysoesthia-drurella/
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Gelechioidea
- Family
- Gelechiidae (Twirler Moths)
- Subfamily
- Apatetrinae
- Tribe
- Apatetrini
- Genus
- Chrysoesthia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Frequenting gardens and cultivated land, open ground and wasteland.
Seasonal Activity
The moths have two generations, flying in May and June, and again in August and September.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larvae feed by mining the leaves of goosefoot (Chenopodium) and orache (Atriplex), forming a contorted gallery.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Distributed widely but locally throughout England, it is rare in Scotland and not known in Ireland or Wales. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Chrysoesthia drurella. 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 Chrysoesthia drurella (10)
Frequently Asked Questions About Chrysoesthia drurella
What is Chrysoesthia drurella?
Chrysoesthia drurella is a species in the family Gelechiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Chrysoesthia drurella found?
Habitat: Frequenting gardens and cultivated land, open ground and wasteland.
When is Chrysoesthia drurella active?
Chrysoesthia drurella: seasonal activity - The moths have two generations, flying in May and June, and again in August and September..
What is the life cycle of a Chrysoesthia drurella?
The larvae feed by mining the leaves of goosefoot (Chenopodium) and orache (Atriplex), forming a contorted gallery.