Mompha raschkiella
This record describes Mompha raschkiella (species). Recorded family: Momphidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 9 mm. A tiny, but distinctively marked species, with pale yellow shoulder patches and scale tufts along its back. The larva mines the leaves of Rosebay Willowherb, causing gallery and then blotch mines, often tinged red and yellow. The larva is yellow. Bladmineerders.nl lists Mompha langiella as a rare miner of Rosebay Willowherb It can be found in any habitat where the food plant grows. It has two generations in the year, flying during May and again in August. The larvae mine the leaves of Rosebay Willowherb Fairly frequent and widespread in Britain but easily overlooked due to its tiny size. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common. http://www.leafmines.co.uk/html/Lepidoptera/M.raschkiella.htm https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/gelechioidea/momphidae/mompha/mompha-raschkiella/
Wikipedia reference for Mompha raschkiella: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mompha_raschkiella.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Gelechioidea
- Family
- Momphidae (Momphid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Momphinae
- Genus
- Mompha
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
It can be found in any habitat where the food plant grows.
Seasonal Activity
It has two generations in the year, flying during May and again in August.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larvae mine the leaves of Rosebay Willowherb
Additional species information
Recorded status
Fairly frequent and widespread in Britain but easily overlooked due to its tiny size. 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 Mompha raschkiella. 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 raschkiella (3)
Frequently Asked Questions About Mompha raschkiella
What is Mompha raschkiella?
Mompha raschkiella is a species in the family Momphidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Mompha raschkiella found?
Habitat: It can be found in any habitat where the food plant grows.
When is Mompha raschkiella active?
Mompha raschkiella: seasonal activity - It has two generations in the year, flying during May and again in August..
What is the life cycle of a Mompha raschkiella?
The larvae mine the leaves of Rosebay Willowherb