Agonopterix purpurea

Description

Agonopterix purpurea is a moth of the family Depressariidae. It is found in most of Europe. The wingspan is 13–15 mm. The head is grey, face white. Forewings are crimson-fuscous, mixed with dark fuscous and whitish, especially towards costa ; base more whitish ; first discal stigma black, posteriorly whitish-edged, preceded by a similar dot obliquely above it, second white, edged with dark fuscous; between and above these a dark fuscous blotch reaching costa. Hindwings light grey, darker posteriorly.The larva is yellowish ;head and plate of 2 black. Adults are on wing from August to May or June. The larvae feed on Anthriscus sylvestris, Chaerophyllum temulum, Daucus carota and Torilis japonica. They initially create a small, irregular, full depth mine with conspicuous frass. They soon vacate the mine and continue feeding in a tubular rolled leaf. Larvae can be found from May to early June. They are green with darker length lines and a shining black head. The species overwinters as an adult. Pupation takes place in a cocoon in the earth. Agonopterix is a moth genus of the superfamily Gelechioidea. It is placed in the family Depressariidae, which was often particularly in older treatments considered a subfamily of the Oecophoridae or included in the Elachistidae.