Metzneria metzneriella
Metzneria metzneriella is a moth of the family Gelechiidae. It is widely distributed throughout Europe, as well as Turkey and southern Siberia.[2] The habitat consists of dry pastures and calcareous soils.
Metzneria metzneriella | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Gelechiidae |
Genus: | Metzneria |
Species: | M. metzneriella |
Binomial name | |
Metzneria metzneriella | |
Synonyms | |
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The wingspan is 14–19 mm. Terminal joint of palpi thick, half second. Forewings are pale yellow-ochreous, towards costa reddish-ochreous; margins and veins more or less suffused with grey, sprinkled with dark fuscous; stigmata black, first discal much beyond plical. Hindwings are grey. The larva is yellow-whitish; head and plate of 2 dark fuscous.[3]
Adults are on wing from June to August.[4]
The larvae feed on the seeds of Centaurea jacea, Centaurea phrygia and Centaurea scabiosa.[5] The species overwinters within the seedhead. Pupation takes place in late spring.
References
- Fauna Europaea
- Junnilainen, J. et al. 2010: The gelechiid fauna of the southern Ural Mountains, part II: list of recorded species with taxonomic notes (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae). Zootaxa, 2367: 1–68. Preview
- Meyrick, E., 1895 A Handbook of British Lepidoptera MacMillan, London pdf This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. Keys and description
- UKmoths
- Metzneria at funet Archived 2013-10-04 at the Wayback Machine