Elachista scirpi

Description

Elachista scirpi is a moth of the family Elachistidae. It is found from Fennoscandia to Portugal, Sardinia and Sicily and from Ireland to Romania. The wingspan is 10–12 millimetres (0.39–0.47 in). Adults are on wing from June to August. The larvae feed on Juncus compressus, Juncus gerardii and Scirpus maritimus. They mine the leaves of their host plant. The mine starts as a narrow corridor halfway down the leaf and ascends towards the tip. It then doubles and descends to about the starting point, gradually widening. The frass is deposited in the oldest part of the mine. Pupation takes place outside of the mine in a pupa in a loose spinning. They are pale greenish yellow with a pale yellow head. Larvae can be found from early March to early May.