Exoteleia dodecella explained

Exoteleia dodecella, the pine bud moth, is a moth of the family Gelechiidae. It is widely distributed from western Europe to Siberia. It is an introduced species in North America.^[1]

The wingspan is 9–15 mm.^[2] The head is grey, face whitish.Terminal joint of palpi as long as second. Forewings are whitish, densely irrorated with dark fuscous, appearing grey ; indistinct broad darker fasciae at 1/3 and 2/3 a black basal dot, and a dash beneath costa at 1/4 ; two black dots transversely placed in disc at 1/4 ; stigmata black, first discal above plical, another black dot below second discal ; a fine indistinct whitish interrupted fascia at 3/4 : on undersurface a longitudinal patch of thinly set erect scales in disc. Hindwings 1, grey.The larva is brownish-flesh colour ; dots black ; head black-brown.^{[3] [4] [5] [6]}

Adults are on wing from June to July.^[7]

The larvae feed on Larix europaeus, Pinus mugo and Pinus sylvestris. Young larvae mine the needles of their host plant. ^[8] Mining larvae can be found from September to March.

References

Notes and References

1. et al. 2010: The gelechiid fauna of the southern Ural Mountains, part II: list of recorded species with taxonomic notes (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae). Zootaxa, 2367: 1–68. Preview
2. Web site: microlepidoptera.nl . 2013-10-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131004232240/http://www.microlepidoptera.nl/soorten/species.php?speciescode=330360&p=1 . 2013-10-04 . dead .
3. Meyrick, E., 1895 A Handbook of British Lepidoptera MacMillan, London pdf Keys and description
4. Heath, J.,ed. 1976 The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland Vol. 4 Part 2
5. Langmaid, J. R., Palmer, S. M. & Young, M. R. [eds]. 2018 A Field Guide to the Smaller Moths of Great Britain and Ireland [3rd ed.]Reading, Berkshire. British Entomological and Natural History Society
6. https://lepiforum.org/wiki/page/Exoteleia_dodecella lepiforum.de includes images
7. https://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?bf=760 UKmoths
8. Web site: bladmineerders.nl . 2013-10-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131004215528/http://www.bladmineerders.nl/minersf/lepidopteramin/exoteleia/dodecella/dodecella.htm . 2013-10-04 . dead .