Stigmella trimaculella

Description

Stigmella trimaculella is a moth of the Nepticulidae family. It is found in most of Europe, east to the eastern part of Palearctic ecozone. The wingspan is 5–6 millimetres (0.20–0.24 in). The thick erect hairs on the head vertex are ochreous-yellowish.The collar is white.Antennal eyecaps are whitish. The forewings are dark fuscous; a broad median longitudinal patch extending from base to near middle, and large opposite sometimes confluent triangular costal and dorsal spots beyond middle whitish-yellowish.Hindwings are grey. Abdomen of male yellowish, crimson-tinged. External image Adults are on wing in May and again in August. The larvae feed on Populus alba, Populus angustifolia, Populus x canadensis, Populus candicans, Populus canescens, Populus deltoides, Populus nigra, Populus simonii, Populus suaveolens, Populus tremula and Populus trichocarpa. They mine the leaves of their host plant. The mine consists of a corridor. The first part of the mine is straight and narrow, and often follows a vein. The frass is concentrated in a nearly uninterrupted central line that does not occupy the full width of the gallery . The second part is considerably broader, sometimes almost resembling a blotch. The frass pattern here is very variable, ranging from a narrow central line to a broad band.