Mompha conturbatella

Mompha conturbatella
Mompha conturbatella. Dorsal view
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Momphidae
Genus: Mompha
Species: M. conturbatella
Binomial name
Mompha conturbatella
(Hübner, 1819)
Synonyms
  • Tinea conturbatella Hübner, [1819]
  • Lita elegantella Zetterstedt, 1840

Mompha conturbatella, the fireweed mompha moth, is a moth in the Momphidae family.

Distribution

This species has a Holarctic distribution. In the Palearctic, it is found from Europe through the Caucasus and central Asia to the Russian Far East. [1][2] The species is also common in North America. [3]

Habitat

These moths mainly occur in mountains, in woodland, hedge rows, and marshy areas. [4]

Side view

Description

Mompha conturbatella has a wingspan of 11–17 mm.[4][5] Forewings of these moths show stains of various color, ranging from brown to black, bluish, russet and white. On the dorsum are present several raised tufts of scales. [4][3]

Biology

Mompha conturbatella is an univoltine species. [3] Adults are on wing from June to July. [4] They feed on nectar of Heracleum sphondylium and Epilobium angustifolium. [6]

The larvae feed on Epilobium angustifolium, [4] Epilobium latifolium[2] and possibly Epilobium montanum. At the end of spring, the larvae live between spun together leaves at the tip of the plant. There, they bore into the stem. Pupation takes place in a yellowish brown cocoon in litter on the ground. [5] Larvae can be found from May to June. [3][6]

References

  1. ↑ Fauna Europaea
  2. 1 2 Savela, Markku (2010) Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and some other life forms
  3. 1 2 3 4 J. C. Koster, S. Yu. Sinev: Momphidae, Batrachedridae, Stathmopodidae, Agonoxenidae, Cosmopterigidae, Chrysopeleiidae. In: P. Huemer, O. Karsholt, L. Lyneborg (Hrsg.): Microlepidoptera of Europe. 1. Apollo Books, ISBN 87-88757-66-8, S. 29
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 UK Moths
  5. 1 2 Naturhistoriska risksmuseet (in Swedish)
  6. 1 2 JK Lindsey Commanster



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