Stigmella insignis is a moth of the family Nepticulidae.[1] It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the Hawkes Bay as well as in the north west of the South Island. S. insignis inhabits montane to subalpine grasslands. The larvae of S. insignis are leaf miners. They likely feed on Celmisia spectabilis. Adults of this species have been observed on the wing in March, November and December.
This species was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1927 using three male specimens he collected at Salisbury's Opening on the Mount Arthur Tableland at 4,000 ft. in November.[2] Philpott originally named the species Nepticula insignis. In 1939 George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species under that name in his book A supplement to the butterflies and moths of New Zealand.[3] In 1988 J. S. Dugdale placed this species in the genus Stigmella.[4] This placement was confirmed by Hans Donner and Christopher Wilkinson in 1989.[5] The male holotype specimen is held in the New Zealand Arthropod Collection.
Philpott described this species as follows:
Donner and Wilkinson described the male of the species as follows:The female is visually similar to the male with the exception of their antenna which have 28 segments. S. insignis is larger than the similar species S. oriastra and lacks the orange forewing scales of S. laqueorum.
This species is endemic to New Zealand.[6] [7] This species has been observed in the Hawkes Bay as well as in the north west of the South Island.
Adults have been recorded in March, November and December.
S. insignis inhabits montane to subalpine grasslands. The larvae probably feed on Celmisia spectabilis.[8] J. S. Dugdale stated he collected specimens on the rosettes of C. spectabilis. They mine the leaves of their host plant.