Stigmella malella

Description

The banded apple pigmy (Stigmella malella) is a moth of the Nepticulidae family. It is found almost all of Europe, except Iceland and Norway. The wingspan is 4–6 millimetres (0.16–0.24 in).The head is ferruginous -ochreous, collar whitish. Antennal eyecaps whitish. Forewings dark fuscous ; a shining white fascia beyond middle. Hindwings grey. Adults are on wing from April to August. The larvae feed on Malus x astracanica, Malus baccata, Malus domestica, Malus floribunda, Malus fusca, Malus ringo, Malus sylvestris and sometimes Prunus. They mine the leaves of their host plant. The mine consists of a corridor, sometimes widening only a little but sometimes strongly. At times ending in a secondary blotch. The frass is concentrated in a narrow central line.