Stigmella crataegella

Description

Stigmella crataegella is a moth of the Nepticulidae family. It is found from Fennoscandia to the Iberian Peninsula, Italy and Macedonia, and from Ireland to Poland and Romania. The wingspan is 4–5 mm. The head is black, collar white.Antennal eyecaps white. Forewings are a shining golden brown basal to a brassy fascia. Distad beyond this is dark purple brown. Hindwings grey brown. Male has black scent scales Adults are on wing from May to early June. There is one generation per year. The larvae feed on Crataegus laciniata, Crataegus laevigata, Crataegus monogyna, Crataegus pentagyna, Crataegus rivularis , Crataegus spathulata and Prunus spinosa. They mine the leaves of their host plant. The mine consists of a corridor. In the first part of the corridor, the frass is concentrated in a central line, later it is clearly coiled. The corridor makes several hairpin turns, usually resulting in a secondary blotch.