Argyresthia goedartella

Argyresthia goedartella, the bronze alder moth, is a moth of the family Yponomeutidae.

Argyresthia goedartella
Argyresthia goedartella, upperside
Lateral view
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Argyresthiidae
Genus: Argyresthia
Species:
A. goedartella
Binomial name
Argyresthia goedartella
Synonyms[1]
  • Phalaena goedartella Linnaeus, 1758
  • Argyresthia (Argyresthia) goedartella
  • Phalaena semi-argentella Donovan, 1793
  • Tinea literella Haworth, 1828

Distribution

This very common species can be found in most of Europe and in North America.[2][3][4][5]

Description
Mounted specimen

Argyresthia goedartella has a wingspan of 10–13 mm.[6][7] These tiny moths have pale ochreous head with white antennae and white forewings with coppery-golden markings. A characteristic coppery-golden Y-shaped marking is present in the middle of the wings.[6] Hindwings are dark gray. Abdomen is grayish fuscous, while legs are brownish white.[7]

Wing

Biology

It is a univoltine species. These moths fly from May to October. They fly at night and on sunny afternoons and mainly feed on the nectar of tansy (Tanacetum vulgare).[6] The larvae feed on birch (Betua species) and alder (Alnus glutinosa).[3] They overwinter in a shoot or hard male catkin of the host plants. In late March or April, larvae congregate and pupate in a cocoon under the bark.[6][7]

References
  1. Lepiforum.de
  2. Fauna Europaea
  3. Funet - Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and some other life forms
  4. Moth Photographers Group
  5. Butterflies and Moths of North America
  6. UK Moths
  7. "Entomology Collection - University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum". Archived from the original on 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2008-08-10.

Notes
  1. ^ The flight season refers to Belgium and The Netherlands. This may vary in other parts of the range.


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