Elachista elegans Frey, 1859

mine

Long (up to 20 cm) lower surface corridor, ascending from the base of the leaf to 5 – 10 cm below the tip; if the larve is not yet full grown by then, it redescends. The mine initially is only 1-1.5 cm wide but gradually and very irregularly it widens, until most of the width of the leaf is occupied. Frass mostly in a zone along the side, sometimes alternating, rarely irregularly distributed.

hostplants

Poaceae, oligophagous

Bromus; Calamagrostis arundinacea, epigeios; Dactylis; Milium effusum; Poa.

phenology

Bivoltine; larvae in April – May and again in July (Traugott-Olsen & Nielsen, 1977a). However, Svensson (2009a) writes that the larva mines in spring, and that the adults fly in July-August. Possibly the statement by Traugott-Olsen & Nielsen is caused by inclusion of the only recently described E. deriventa, that also lives on Calamgrostis arundinacea.

BENELUX

not known from the Benelux countries (Fauna Europaea, 2009).

distribution within Europe

From Fennoscandia to Italy, Hungary, and the Crimea, and from Germany to Central Russia.

larva

Described by Martini (1912c). Body yellowish green, dorsally dark green with a whitish central length line; head yellowish brown; prothoracic plate more yellowish.

pupa

Described by Patočka (1999a) and Patočka (1999a) & Turčáni (2005a).

references

Bidzilya, Budashkin & Zhakov (2016a), Hering (1957a), Kaila, Mutanen, Saarela, Siloaho, Sippola & Tabell (2008a), Martini (1912c), Parenti & Varalda (1994a), Patočka (1999a), Patočka & Turčáni (2005a), Schütze (1931a), Sønderup (1949a), Sruoga & Ivinskis (2005a), Svensson (2009a), Traugott-Olsen & Nielsen (1977a), Walczak (2011a), Wörz (1957a).

14/01/2017