Nepticulidae
Stigmella alnetella
The dwarf leaf miner ( Nepticulidae ) are a family of butterflies (Lepidoptera ). They are used worldwide with about 700 species in 28 genera before. In Europe, up to now 242 species and subspecies described, of which 135 species occur in Central Europe.
Features
The moths reach a wingspan of only three to ten millimeters, are among the smallest species of butterflies worldwide. They have a narrow, elongated body hairs protruding. Their forewings are narrow and about three to four times longer than wide and predominantly metallic brilliantly colored or provided with metallic patterns. The basic color is usually bronze or brass color. However, some species have no metallic coloration. The hind wings are narrow, elongated and pointed. They are significantly narrower to about the same width as the front wings and have long fringes. The head is covered with hairy scales. The thread-like antennae are short to medium in length and reach about 0.5 to 0.75 times the length of the forewing. Your first link ( scape ) is widened at the base. Your five-membered Maxillarpalpen are well developed, the animals have no proboscis.
The Flügeladerung of both pairs of wings is mostly identical. The forewings have a sharply formed veined with 5-8 veins and probably no Analadern. The hind wings have a well-trained veins, in some species it consists of six to seven veins.
Life and development
The larvae of the leaf miner dwarf nate in leaves, seeds and bark and are usually dedicated to a particular plant. Some species produce plant galls.
The females lay their eggs normally starting on the underside of leaves of the host plants. The resulting hatching larvae eat their way into the sheet and place it on a long passage between the upper and lower sheet outside ( cuticle ). The larvae of many species often only need a few days for their development. This allows them to produce several generations per year. Pupation takes place outside of the mine instead of in a cocoon from which the animals are a bit pushed out shortly before hatching.