Bucculatrix cristatella

Bucculatrix cristatella
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Bucculatricidae
Genus:	Bucculatrix
Species:	B. cristatella
Binomial name
Bucculatrix cristatella (Zeller, 1839)
Synonyms
Lyonetia cristatella Zeller, 1839 Bucculatrix jugicola Wocke, 1876 Lyonetia concolorella Tengström, 1848

Bucculatrix cristatella is a species of moth of the family Bucculatricidae. It is found in most of Europe (except the Iberian Peninsula and the Balkan Peninsula). It was described in 1839 by Philipp Christoph Zeller.

Gnawed yarrow leaf with the cocoon near its tip

Larva

The wingspan is about 7 mm. The head is ochreous-yellowish to light yellowish -fuscous. Forewings are shining ochreous-grey. Hindwings grey. The larva is pale greenish; dorsal and subdorsal lines darker; dots whitish and the head pale brown. Plate of 2 yellowish, brown-dotted.[1][2]

Adults are on wing from May to June and again from July to August. There are two generations per year.

The larvae feed on Achillea millefolium, Anthemis tinctoria, Chrysanthemum species and Leucanthemopsis alpina. They mine the leaves of their host plant. Last instar larvae feed freely on the leaf.

References

1. 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
2. Zagulajev, A.K., 1990 Bucculatricidae ; in G.S. Medvedev (ed.): Keys to the insects of the europaean part of the USSR, Vol.IV: Lepidoptera, part 2 (english translation), Oxonian Press Pvt.Ltd., New Dehli, 1987

External links

• Plant Parasites of Europe
• UKmoths
• Images representing Bucculatrix cristatella at Consortium for the Barcode of Life