Stenolechia gemmella

Stenolechia gemmella (black-dotted groundling) is a moth of the family Gelechiidae. It is known from most of Europe

Damage

Stenolechia gemmella
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Gelechiidae
Genus: Stenolechia
Species:
S. gemmella
Binomial name
Stenolechia gemmella
Synonyms
  • Phalaena (Tinea) gemmella Linnaeus, 1758
  • Alucita nivella Fabricius, 1794
  • Recurvaria nivea Haworth, 1828
  • Lita nigrovittella Duponchel, [1839]
  • Gelechia (Brachmia) lepidella Zeller, 1839

The wingspan is 10–11 mm. The head is white. Forewings are whitish, somewhat sprinkled with brownish ; a spot on costa near base and another at 1/3, an inwardly oblique fascia beyond middle, somewhat interrupted near costa, a spot on base of dorsum, and another at tornus black ; some black scales towards apex ; vein 4 absent. Hindwings are light grey.The larva is whitish ; spots pale grey ; head and plate of 2 yellow-brown, latter grey-speckled.[2]

Adults are on wing from July to September, and is known for its habit of resting in crevices in bark.[3]

The larva feed on Quercus species. They feed in the young shoots. They cause withered leaves and occasionally swellings. Pupation normally takes place in the shoot, but occasionally outside.[4]

References
  1. Fauna Europaea
  2. Meyrick, E., 1895 A Handbook of British Lepidoptera MacMillan, London pdf This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. Keys and description
  3. UKmoths
  4. Lepidoptera of Belgium


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