Stephensia brunnichella is a moth of the family Elachistidae found in Europe and east into the Palearctic.
Description The wingspan is 8–9 mm.microlepidoptera.nl The head is dark bronzy. Antennae with white subapical band. Forewings are dark bronzyfuscous; a subbasal fascia, another before middle, an erect tornal spot, and a costal spot before apex pale golden-metallic. Hindwings are dark grey. The larva is green-whitish; dorsal line dark green; head and plate of 2 blackish.Meyrick, E., 1895 A Handbook of British Lepidoptera MacMillan, London pdf Keys and descriptionEmmet, A. M. (Hrsg.) (1985): The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland. Volume 3 (Yponomeutidae to Elachistidae). Harley Books, Colchester, Essex.Fal’kovich;M. .I., 1990 Elachistidae; in G.S. Medvedev (ed.): Keys to the insects of the europaean part of the USSR, Vol.IV: Lepidoptera, part 2 (english translation), Oxonian Press Pvt.Ltd., New Dehli, 1987
Biology
The larvae feed on lesser calamint (Calamintha nepeta), wild basil (Clinopodium vulgare) and Satureja calamintha mining the leaves of their host plant. The larvae have a greenish body with a black head. They can be found from autumn to April and again in July.
Distribution It is widespread throughout Europe. In the north, the distribution extends up to southern Sweden and Finland and in the east it ranges as far as Asia Minor and the Crimea.Stephensia Brunnichella (Lepidoptera: Elachistidae) New Species For Lithuania
References
External links lepiforum.de