Kessleria alternans (Staudinger, 1870)
Lepidoptera, Yponomeutidae
mine
Irregular mine. Older larvae live free in a silken tube.
hostplants
Saxifragaceae, narrowly monophagous
Saxifraga oppositifolia, paniculata.
Mines only in the broad leaves of S. paniculata. In S. oppositifolia the larvae immediately begin making their silken tubes, to completely devour the leaves from there.
phenology
The larvae probably hibernate twice.
BENELUX
Not known from the Benelux countries (Fauna Europaea, 2013).
distribution within Europe
Alps, Caucasus, 1600-2200 m.
larva
Head light brown; prothoracic shield light greenish brown, anal shield greenish brown; ground colour of dull greenish brown with reddish brown dorsal line, subdorsal line formed by disunct reddish brown spots; pinacula greenish brown; thoracic feet light brown.
references
Baldizzone (2008a), Huemer & Tarmann (1991a), Huemer & Mutanen (2015a).
08/04/2017