Stigmella perpygmaeella

Stigmella perpygmaeella is a moth of the family Nepticulidae, found in most of Europe, east to Russia. The larvae mine the leaves of hawthorns.

Description

The wingspan is 5–6 mm. The thick erect hairs on the head vertex are yellow-white and the collar is also yellow-white. The antennal eyecaps are yellow-white. The forewings are dark grey brown with purple at the apex. Hindwings are grey.

Biology

Adults are on wing in May and August.

Life cycle

;Ovum
Eggs are usually laid on the upperside of a hawthorn leaf, beside the midrib.
;Larvae
The larvae are yellow with a brown head. They feed on woodland hawthorn and common hawthorn, mining their leaves. Mines can be found in July and October.
;Pupa
In a dull pink cocoon, spun in detritus.

Distribution

Stigmella perpygmaeella is found in most of Europe, from Ireland, east to Russia.

[Etymology]

Stigmella perpygmaeella was originally named pygmaeus, by the English entomologist, Adrian Haworth in 1828, from a specimen found in Chelsea, at that time in the county of Middlesex, England. As this name was already in use it was renamed by Henry Doubleday in 1859 with the specific name perpygmaeella. Haworth originally placed the moth in the genus, Tinea – a gnawing worm. Doubleday moved pygmaeus to the genus Nepticula – a grand daughter, the smallest member of a family when he renamed it perpygmaeella. The genus Stigmella – ″stigma″, refers to the conspicuous small dot or a brand fascia on the forewing of many of the Stigmella species, or possibly the small size of the moths.