Mompha langiella
This record describes Mompha langiella (species). Recorded family: Momphidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan about10 mm. A relatively unremarkable looking member of the Momphidae, M. langiella is however quite distinctive, with its fuscous ground colour and irregular-shaped white marking at around two-thirds. The larva mines the leaves of Enchanter's-nightshade and Great Hairy Willowherb, initially in a gallery and then a blotch. The blotch mines are transparent and white initially, with irregular clumps of frass. The larva is pale with dark head and pronotal mark Mompha terminella also mines Enchanter's Nighshade, in spiral and looped galleries. Several species of Mompha feed on willowherbs, and the mines (and host species) are hard to identify. Backlit photographs of mine; note host. The mine is best recorded on Enchanter's Nightshade ( Circaea lutetiana ); on Epilobium care is needed to identify host species and examine mine and larva; breeding out may be required Woodland and occasionally gardens, especially where the larval food plants are present. The larva mines the leaves of Enchanter's Nightshade and willowherbs in June and July, forming a whitish blotch with scattered frass. Distributed locally in southern and western England and Wales, there are also scattered records from further north and in Ireland. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local. http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/M.langiella.htm https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/gelechioidea/momphidae/mompha/mompha-langiella/
Wikipedia reference for Mompha langiella: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mompha_langiella.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Family
- Momphidae
- Genus
- Mompha
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Woodland and occasionally gardens, especially where the larval food plants are present.
Seasonal Activity
August through to April.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larva mines the leaves of Enchanter's Nightshade and willowherbs in June and July, forming a whitish blotch with scattered frass.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Distributed locally in southern and western England and Wales, there are also scattered records from further north and in Ireland. 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 Mompha langiella. 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 Mompha langiella (3)
Frequently Asked Questions About Mompha langiella
What is Mompha langiella?
Mompha langiella is a species in the family Momphidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Mompha langiella found?
Habitat: Woodland and occasionally gardens, especially where the larval food plants are present.
When is Mompha langiella active?
Mompha langiella: seasonal activity - August through to April..
What is the life cycle of a Mompha langiella?
The larva mines the leaves of Enchanter's Nightshade and willowherbs in June and July, forming a whitish blotch with scattered frass.