Kingdom Animalia Class Insecta Family Elachistidae Scientific name Elachista gleichenella | Phylum Arthropoda Order Lepidoptera Genus Elachista Rank Species | |
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Similar Elachista albifrontella, Elachista biatomella, Elachista argentella, Elachista utonella, Elachista poae | ||
Elachista gleichenella is a moth of the Elachistidae family. It is found in most of Europe (except the Iberian Peninsula), east into northern Russia.
The wingspan is 8–9 millimetres (0.31–0.35 in).
The larvae feed on Carex curvula, Carex digitata, Carex divulsa, Carex echinata, Carex flacca, Carex humilis, Carex laevigata, Carex montana, Carex morrowii, Carex muricata, Carex ornithopoda, Carex otrubae, Carex paniculata, Carex pendula, Carex pilosa, Carex sempervirens, Carex sylvatica, Carex umbrosa, Deschampsia cespitosa, Luzula luzuloides, Luzula pilosa, Luzula plumose and Luzula sylvatica. Young larvae form a narrow meandering corridor, which gradually widens to nearly the full width of the leaf. The larvae make a new mine in early winter most of the time. This mine is brown and situated close to (or within) the red coloured dying apical part of the leaf. Pupation takes place outside of the mine.