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Micropterigidae

Micropterix calthella

MICROPTERIX calthella (Linnaeus, 1761)
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Life Cycle Guide - Adult Only
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Description
Vernacular Name: Plain Gold
Wingspan: 8 -10mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe - excluding (Bulgaria,Croatia,Greece,Portugal & Spain) : eastwards towards Siberia
UK Distribution: Common throughout Britain
UK Conservation Status -
  • Common = > 300 10km squares
European Conservation Status -
  • Least Concern
Original Species Name -
  • Phalaena (Tinea) calthella (Linnaeus, 1761)
Type Species - Micropterix
  • Tinea podevinella Hübner,1813
Type Locality -
  • in Floribus Calthæ frequens
Flight Period: South - April-mid July
Habitat: Damp woodland : Woodland Rides : Meadows
Similar Species -
  • Micropterix aruncella - Female (Scopoli, 1763)
Larva: The larva feeds on young shoots of herbaceous plants.
Observations: This moth can be identified from its metallic bronze forewings with a purple patch in the basal area and orange head tufts. There are no other markings on this moth.
It is active by day,often found,sometimes in large groups, feeding on the pollen of plants like the Buttercup,Sedge,Marsh-marigold and Dogs Mercury (see below)
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Taxonomy
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Type Species MICROPTERIX:

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Type Locality:
Animalia
Eumetozoa
Arthropoda
Hexapoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Micropterigoidea
Micropterigidae
MICROPTERIX Hübner,[1825]
Micropterix calthella (Linnaeus, 1761)
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Tinea podevinella Hübner,1813
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PHALAENA (Tinea) calthella (Linnaeus, 1761)
= silesiaca Toll 1942
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Fauna Suecica (Edn 1-2) : Title page :   p.367  - n.1432
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in Floribus Calthæ frequens