Incurvariidae
Incurvaria masculella
The Miniersackmotten ( Incurvariidae ) are a family of butterflies (Lepidoptera ). They are found worldwide with about 100 species.
Features
The family of very small moth has fully developed proboscis and wing veins. The females have a long and pointed ovipositor, with which they can insert their eggs in leaves. The males have significantly combed sensor.
The larvae are primitive and adapted to life as leaf miners. But you only spend the first larval stage within leaves. Then they build often from plant material a sack. This is made in many types of two circular pieces of leaves. At this stage, they live on the ground and feed on foliage of falling or of low plants.
System
The Miniersackmotten family is represented by 10 species in the German speaking countries ( D -CH -A). Throughout Europe they occur with 13 species.
- Alloclemensia mesospilella D -CH -A
- Incurvaria pectinea D -CH -A
- Incurvaria circulella
- Incurvaria masculella D -CH -A
- Incurvaria vetulella D -CH -A
- Incurvaria triglavensis A
- Incurvaria ploessli D?
- Incurvaria oehlmaniella D -CH -A
- Incurvaria praelatella D -CH -A
- Incurvaria koerneriella D -CH -A
- Phylloporia bistrigella D -CH -A
- Paraclemensia cyanella
- Vespina slovaciella
Fossil evidence
The oldest fossil evidence of Miniersackmotten are two Lebanese amber ( Lower Cretaceous, about 130 million years old) found specimens that were assigned to the genus Incurvarites. More members of this family are known from Eocene Baltic amber.