Elachista bifasciella Treitschke, 1833
mine
Mine descends from just below the leaf tip to half-way the leaf or even lower. The mine remains between leaf margin and midrib; no tissue is left along the leaf margin, but in broadleaved species (Holcus) some uneaten tissue-islands may remain. The mine is somewhat inflated. Frass in a continuous, sometimes double line. The larva makes several mines. Pupation outside the mine.
host plants
Poaceae, oligophagous
Agrostis gigantea, stolonifera; Avenella flexuosa; Brachypodium sylvaticum; Calamagrostis arundinacea, varia, villosa; Corynephorus canescens; Dactylis glomerata; Deschampsia cespitosa; Festuca ovina, rubra; Holcus mollis; Milium effusum; Poa nemoralis; Schedonorus giganteus.
Steuer (1976a) mentions as only hostplants Deschampsia cespitosa en Holcus mollis, and considers records from other species unreliable.
phenology
Larven in spring (Traugott-Olsen & Nielsen, 1977a).
BENELUX
BE recorded (Phegea, 2009).
NE recorded (Kuchlein & de Vos, 1999a; Microlepidoptera.nl, 2009).
LUX recorded (Fauna Europaea, 2009).
distribution within Europe
From Sweden to the Pyrenees, Italy, and Romania, and from the Netherlands to Poland (Fauna Europaea, 2009).
larva
The larva is rather squat. Prothoracic plate with a pair of elongate sclerites that are widened posteriorly; prosternum with an x-shaped sclerite. Anal plate with a semicircular reinforcement (Steuer, 1976a).
pupa
Described by Patočka (1999a), Patočka & Turčáni (2005a).
notes
Mainly on forest floor in deep shade. Where the trees are felled the grasses increase, but bifasciella disappears (Steuer).
references
Baran (2005a), Baran & Buszko (2010a), Bidzilya, Budashkin & Zhakov (2016a), Buszko & Baraniak (1989b), Hering (1957a), Huemer (2012a), Kuchlein & Donner (1993a), Kuchlein & de Vos (1999a), Parenti & Varalda (1994a), Patočka (1999a), Patočka & Turčáni (2005a), De Prins (1998a), Schmid (2019a), Schütze (1931a), Steurer (1976a), Traugott-Olsen & Nielsen (1977a).