Stigmella hamishella

This species was first described in 1989 by Hans Donner and Christopher Wilkinson from specimens collected in Fiordland.[3] The male holotype specimen, collected at Homer Tunnel, at 900 m altitude on the 29 December 1983 by B. H. Patrick, is held in the New Zealand Arthropod Collection.[3]

Donner and Wilkinson described the male of this species as follows:

Head. Frontal tuft white; scape white and grey; collar greyish white; antenna dark grey, comprising 36 segments. Thorax grey. Forewing about 4 mm long; ground colour whitish grey, with basal, medial, and terminal dark grey areas and vague black spots medially and terminally; fringe grey. Hindwing and fringe grey. Abdomen pale brown.[3]

Donner and Wilkinson described the female of the species as follows:

Generally larger than male; antenna comprising 32 segments; forewing paler, with spots more conspicuous.[3]

Donner and Wilkinson explained that the differences in genitalia and general appearance of this species indicated that is a discrete species.[3]

This species is endemic to New Zealand.[1][4] It has been observed in the South Island.[3]

Larval host O. moschata.

The larvae feed on Olearia moschata.[5] The preferred habitat of S. hamishella is the same as its host plant, montane to subalpine shrubland.[3]

The larvae of this species mine the leaves of their host plant.[3] The mine consists of blotches, mainly on the lower leaves. Adults have been recorded in December.[3]