''Incurvaria pectinea'' is a

moth Moths are a group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not Butterfly, butterflies. They were previously classified as suborder Heterocera, but the group is Paraphyly, paraphyletic with respect to butterflies (s ...

of the family

Incurvariidae Incurvariidae is a family of small primitive monotrysian moths in the order Lepidoptera. There are twelve genus, genera recognised (Davis, 1999). Many species are leaf miners and much is known of their host plants, excluding ''Paraclemensia aceri ...

. It is found in

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

. A medium-sized (wingspan 13 – 16 mm), brownish moth. It may resemble several of the other ''Incurvaria'' species, but differs from these in that the wings are somewhat narrower, the colour paler and the pale spots at the trailing edge of the forewing less distinct. The male has comb-shaped antennae that are about 2/3 as long as the forewing, the female's antennae are filamentous with protruding hairs and about half as long as the forewing. The head is covered with long, erect, yellowish hair-like scales, and appears rather disheveled. The forewing is rather narrow, pale greyish-brown in colour. At the hind edge it has two light spots, these are not very conspicuous, less evident than in other Incurvaria species. The innermost spot is usually larger than the outermost. Sometimes the spots may be completely missing. The hindwing is greyish-brown with long, greyish-brown hairy fringes. The larva is whitish with a yellowish-brown head and greyish-brown dorsal plates on the three leading body joints. Meyrick describes it - Head pale greyish-ochreous. Forewings shining prismatic fuscous; a yellow-whitish dorsal spot before middle, and an indistinct dot before tornus. Hindwings brassy-grey.Zagulajev, A.K., 1987 Incurvariidae; in G.S. Medvedev (ed.): ''Keys to the insects of the europaean part of the USSR'', Vol.IV: Lepidoptera, part 1 (english translation), Oxonian Press Pvt.Ltd., New Dehli, 1987 The moth flies from April to May depending on the location. The larvae feed on various deciduous trees, such as

birch A birch is a thin-leaved deciduous hardwood tree of the genus ''Betula'' (), in the family Betulaceae, which also includes alders, hazels, and hornbeams. It is closely related to the beech- oak family Fagaceae. The genus ''Betula'' contains 3 ...

hazel Hazels are plants of the genus ''Corylus'' of deciduous trees and large shrubs native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The genus is usually placed in the birch family, Betulaceae,Germplasmgobills Information Network''Corylus''Rushforth, K ...

and

apple An apple is a round, edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus'' spp.). Fruit trees of the orchard or domestic apple (''Malus domestica''), the most widely grown in the genus, are agriculture, cultivated worldwide. The tree originated ...

.he species can be found almost everywhere where deciduous trees grow. The larvae develop in the leaves. The female lays several eggs on each leaf. The larva begins by creating a small, round spot mine. It then gnaws its way out, makes a casing of leaves and silk, and lowers itself to the ground, where it spends the rest of the larval period and feeds on fallen leaves. The infested leaves may be severely pierced after the larvae have left them. The adult moths fly from late April to early June.

References

Content in this edit is translated from the existing Norwegian Wikipedia article at :no:Incurvaria pectinea; see its history for attribution.

External links

''Incurvaria pectinea'' at UKmothsLepiforum.de
Incurvariidae Moths described in 1828 Moths of Europe Taxa named by Adrian Hardy Haworth {{Incurvarioidea-stub