Trifurcula immundella, the broom pygmy moth, is a moth of the family Nepticulidae. It is found in western Europe, wherever the host plant occurs.

Broom pygmy moth
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nepticulidae
Genus: Trifurcula
Species:
T. immundella
Binomial name
Trifurcula immundella
(Zeller, 1839)
Synonyms
  • Lyonetia immundella Zeller, 1839

The wingspan is 6–8.4 mm. The thick erect hairs on the head vertex are ferruginous-yellowish, sometimes mixed with fuscous. The collar is rust brown. Antennal eyecaps are whitish. The forewings are ochreous-grey-whitish, coarsely irrorated with fuscous. Hindwings grey.[1] External image

Adults are on wing from June to August.

The larvae feed on Cytisus scoparius. They mine the bark of twigs of their host plant. The mine consists of a dark gallery, which is similar to the mine of Leucoptera spartifoliella.

References edit

  1. ^ Meyrick, E., 1895 A Handbook of British Lepidoptera MacMillan, London

External links edit