Eriocrania salopiella explained

Eriocrania salopiella (also known as the small birch purple) is a moth of the family Eriocraniidae and is found in Europe. It was described by the English entomologist, Henry Tibbats Stainton in 1854. The larvae mine the leaves of birch (Betula species).

Description

The wingspan is about 1 centimetre. The adult moths are golden coloured with purple markings with prominent yellow triangular patch on the tornus. The head is covered with golden hairs.^[1] Flies in the sunshine in April and May amongst birches.^[2]

OvumEggs are laid on the leaves of birch including silver birch (Betula pendula) and downy birch (Betula pubescens)^[3]

LarvaThe larvae are whitish with a pale brown head and mine the leaves of birch (Betula species) in May and June. The mine starts as a corridor, usually near the mid-rib and gradually widens to a blotch.^[4] Eriocrania sparrmannella has a similar looking mine, but feeds from mid-June to August.^[5]

PupaThe larvae pupate in the soil in a tough, silken cocoon.^[3]

Distribution

The moth is found in northern and central Europe.

Etymology

Stainton described the moth from a specimen found near Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England. He initially allocated the moth to the genus Micropteryx, which comes from the Greek for mikros, little and pterux, a wing. The moth was later moved to the genus Erioncrania. Erion refers to wool and kranion means the upper part of the head, which literally means woolly-headed, i.e. rough-haired, referring to the scales on the top of the head. The specific name, salopiella refers to Salop i.e. Shropshire, the locality of the type specimen.^{[6] [7]}

External links

• Swedish Moths
• UKmoths

Notes and References

1. Web site: Kimber . Ian . Eriocrania salopiella (Stainton, 1854) . UKmoths . 17 April 2022.
2. Book: Manley . Chris . British & Irish Moths. A Photographic Guide . 2021 . Bloomsbury Wildlife . London . 978-1-4729-7520-1 . 20–1 . Third.
3. Book: Heath . John . John Heath (entomologist) . Eriocraniidae. In The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland. Volume 1 . 1983 . Harley Books . Colchester . 0-946589-15-1 . 156–165.
4. Web site: Ellis . W N . Eriocrania salopiella (Stainton, 1854) small birch purple . Plant Parasites of Europe . 17 April 2022.
5. Web site: Kimber . Ian . Eriocrania sparrmannella (Bosc, 1791) . UKmoths . 17 April 2022.
6. Web site: Smith . Frank . Microlepidoptera (Micro-Moths) . Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Federation for Biological Recorders . 17 April 2022.
7. Book: Emmet . A Maitland . A. Maitland Emmet . The Scientific Names of the British Lepidoptera. Their history and meaning . 1991 . . Colchester . 0-946589-35-6 . 42.