38.03 BF601 - Elachistidae - Elachista albifrontella - White-headed Grass-miner

38.03 BF601 - Elachistidae - Elachista albifrontella - White-headed Grass-miner - (Hübner, 1817)

Adult Micro: CAT 2 - Confusion Species - Leaf-miner: CAT L - The leaf or a Photo required -

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- Generally Common / Widespread - Leaf Miner

Taxonomy: Micro >> . >> Elachistidae

Other Name/s: White-headed Dwarf

ID Difficulty: amber

- care required in the identification process, as confusion with similar species is likely - quality photographs required.
Confusion Species: Elachista luticomella (Yellow-headed Grass-miner); Elachista apicipunctella (Pearly Grass-miner); Elachista stabilella
(Southern Grass-miner):

ID pointers: The forewing is a greyish-black with a feint whitish cross-band from costa to about one third to the dorsum at about a half, sometimes absent. There are several white spots one each either side the forewing towards the apex/tornal area. The main feature is a white head and neck tufts, which is where it gets its name.

Distribution: Widespread numerous records – latest 13/6/2023 Staveley

Flight Period: June / July / - One generation June-July

Mine Period: January / February / March / April / May / September / October / November / December / - Larvae mine a variety of grasses from September through to May

Moth Activity: Cathemeral

*** Last updated on 17 March 2025 by RP ***

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Wingspan: 8-9mm

Food Plant: A variety of grasses including Cock’s-foot, Yorkshire Fog, Creeping soft-grass, Tufted hair-grass

Recorded dates for Common [Blue-coded ] moths are not stored on the website at this current time.

IMAGES BELOW:

Elachista albifrontella – 3rd July 2016 – Shirland – Nikki Mahadevan

no images were found