Elachista maculicerusella
This record describes Elachista maculicerusella (species). Recorded family: Elachistidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
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 Canary-grass and Common Reed; occasionally on other grasses. The pupa is anchored externally on the foodplant by a silken girdle. Occurring widely in England as far as southern Scotland, less so in Wales and Ireland. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
Wikipedia reference for Elachista maculicerusella: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elachista_maculicerusella.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Family
- Elachistidae
- Genus
- Elachista
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Damp habitats such as river and canal banks and marshes.
Seasonal Activity
Flies between May and August in one or two broods depending on latitude.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larvae mine the stems of Reed Canary-grass and Common Reed; occasionally on other grasses. The pupa is anchored externally on the foodplant by a silken girdle.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Occurring widely in England as far as southern Scotland, less so in Wales and Ireland. 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 Elachista maculicerusella. 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 Elachista maculicerusella (3)
Frequently Asked Questions About Elachista maculicerusella
What is Elachista maculicerusella?
Elachista maculicerusella is a species in the family Elachistidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Elachista maculicerusella found?
Habitat: Damp habitats such as river and canal banks and marshes.
When is Elachista maculicerusella active?
Elachista maculicerusella: seasonal activity - Flies between May and August in one or two broods depending on latitude..
What is the life cycle of a Elachista maculicerusella?
The larvae mine the stems of Reed Canary-grass and Common Reed; occasionally on other grasses. The pupa is anchored externally on the foodplant by a silken girdle.