Paraswammerdamia albicapitella explained

Paraswammerdamia albicapitella is a moth of the family Yponomeutidae. It is found in most of Europe, except the western part of the Balkan Peninsula, Ukraine, Lithuania and Latvia.[1] It was recently reported from Canada (British Columbia).[2]

The wingspan is 10–13 mm. Adults are greyish with a white head and thorax. Thorax white, sometimes anteriorly fuscous-sprinkled. Forewings white, irregularly irrorated with fuscous; some longitudinal series of blackish dots ; antemedian dark fuscous fascia reduced to two spots, discal and dorsal; two white spots on costa posteriorly, separated by a dark fuscous spot ; cilia coppery-tinged, with two dark purplish-fuscous lines. Hindwings pale fuscous. Larva reddish-brown ; dorsal line broad, paler, becoming indistinct posteriorly ; spiracular broad, yellowish-white ; head pale yellow-ochreous.[3]

They are on wing in July.[4]

The larvae feed on Prunus spinosa. They initially mine the leaves of their host plant.[5]

Notes and References

  1. https://web.archive.org/web/20140103144717/http://www.faunaeur.org/full_results.php?id=433883 Fauna Europaea
  2. http://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.3749.1.1 Shared but overlooked: 30 species of Holarctic Microlepidoptera revealed by DNA barcodes and morphology
  3. Meyrick, E., 1895 A Handbook of British Lepidoptera MacMillan, London pdf Keys and description
  4. https://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?bf=440 UKmoths
  5. http://www.bladmineerders.nl/minersf/lepidopteramin/paraswammerdamia/albicapitella/albicapitella.htm bladmineerders.nl