Elachista nobilella Zeller, 1839

surrey dwarf

mine

Short and relatively broad, flat, whitish mine. Pupation outside the mine.

host plants

grassy plants (Commelinids); narrowly polyphagous

Agrostis stolonifera; Arrhenatherum; Avenella flexuosa; Bromus; Carex; Dactylis; Festuca versicolor; Holcus lanatus; Luzula pilosa.

According to Steuer (1976a), who has studied the biology of this species, at least in southern Germany Deschampsia flexuosa is the most important, an possibly only, host plant. The miner was found only where this plant was growing in half shade, and forming dense tussocks.

phenology

Mines in April – May (Traugott-Olsen & Schmidt Nielsen, 1977a).

BENELUX

BE recorded (Phegea, 2009).

NE recorded (Kuchlein & de Vos, 1999a; Microlepidoptera.nl, 2009).

LUX not observed (Fauna Europaea, 2009).

distribution within Europe

From Scandinavia and Finland to the Iberian Peninsula and Italy, and from France to Romania (Fauna Europaea, 2009).

larva

The larva is yellow, with a brown head and a brown prothoracic plate that widens and darkens posteriorly. The sclerites that compose the pronotal, prosternal, and anal plates have a shape that is characteristic for this species; they are illustrated by Steuer (1976a).

pupa

Described by Patočka & Turčáni (2005a).

references

Baran (2005a), Baran & Buszko (2010a), Buschmann, Fazekas & Pastorális (2011a), Buszko & Baraniak (1989b), Hering (1957a), Kozlov & Kullberg (2006a, 2010a), Kuchlein & de Vos (1999a), Parenti & Varalda (1994a), Patočka & Turčáni (2005a), Schütze (1931a), Sønderup, Starý (1930a), Sruoga & Ivinskis (2005a), Steurer (1976a), Szőcs (1977a), Traugott-Olsen & Schmidt Nielsen (1977a), Wörz (1957a).