Elachista alpinella Stainton, 1854

marsh dwarf

mine

The narrow mine begins a few cm below the tip of the leaf and runs downwards, sometimes along the leaf margin, sometimes in the center of the leaf. After hibernation the larva probably begins a new, similar mine, that becomes quite long, ending near the leaf base. Frass in a brown, regularly interrupted line. Pupation external; pupa attached to the leaf, not in a cocoon.

hostplants

Cyperaceae, monophagous

Carex acuta, acutiformis, paniculata, riparia.

Traugott-Olsen & Nielsen (1977a) additionally mention Carex flava x hostiana; this does not fill well among the coarse sedges mentioned above.

phenology

Larvae from September till in July; they hibernate in the mine (Bland, 1996a; Traugott-Olsen & Nielsen, 1977a).

BENELUX

BE recorded (Phegea, 2010).

NE recorded (Kuchlein & de Vos, 1999a; Microlepidoptera.nl, 2010).

LUX not recorded (Fauna Europaea, 2010).

distribution within Europe

From Fennoscandia and northern Russia to the Pyrenees and Italy, and from Ireland to Central Russia and Hungary (Fauna Europaea, 2010).

larva

Yellowish white, head shining light brown; the prothorcic shield consists of two greyish, triangular, widely separated sclerites. Their shape and position is species-specific; see Steurer (1973a) for an illustration.

pupa

Described by Patočka & Turčáni (2005a).

synonyms

E. monticola Wocke in Heinemann, 1876.

references

Baldizzone (2004a), Baran, Mazurkiewicz & Pałka (2007a), Bidzilya, Budashkin & Zhakov (2016a), Bland (1996a), Buhr (1935a), Fazekas & Schreurs (2010a), Hering (1957a), Huemer & Wiesner (1997a), Kaila, Nupponen, Junnilainen, Nupponen, Kaitila & Olschwang (2003a), Kuchlein & Donner (1993a), Kuchlein & de Vos (1999a), Parenti & Varalda (1994a), Patočka & Turčáni (2005a), De Prins (1998a), Robbins (1991a), Schütze (1931a), Sønderup (1949a), Sruoga & Ivinskis (2005a), Steurer (1973a), Traugott-Olsen & Nielsen (1977a), Wörz (1957a).