Acrocercops aellomacha facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Acrocercops aellomacha |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Scientific classification | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Acrocercops aellomacha is a tiny moth found only in New Zealand. It belongs to a family of moths called Gracillariidae. These moths are known for their small size and for their larvae (caterpillars) that live inside leaves.
Contents
What is Acrocercops aellomacha?
This small moth has a wingspan of about 7 to 9 millimeters. That's roughly the length of a small fingernail! It was first described in 1880 by a scientist named Edward Meyrick.
Where Does it Live?
Acrocercops aellomacha is special because it is endemic to New Zealand. This means it is found naturally nowhere else in the world.
Life as a Leaf Miner
What is a Leaf Miner?
The most interesting part of this moth's life is how its young, called larvae or caterpillars, live. They are known as "leaf miners." This means they live inside the leaves of plants, eating the soft parts between the top and bottom surfaces.
How the Larva Mines a Leaf
- When a tiny larva hatches from its egg, it immediately burrows into the leaf.
- It starts by making a spiral tunnel, then moves into a long, winding path.
- The tunnel, called a "gallery," slowly gets wider as the larva grows.
- The larva often follows the main vein of the leaf, crossing it when it's thin enough.
- From the main tunnel, many smaller, blind-ended tunnels branch out. These branches are usually straight and run parallel to each other.
- The larva usually stays on one side of the leaf's midrib (the main vein).
- These tunnels are pale green when new. The very tips of the tunnels might look white, showing where the larva was close to the leaf's surface.
- Older tunnels turn white, but they don't usually harm the leaf's overall health.
- The larva leaves behind very fine waste, called "frass," inside the tunnel.
Host Plants
The larvae of Acrocercops aellomacha only mine the leaves of certain plants. These plants are called "host plants." For this moth, the host plants are specific types of trees found in New Zealand:
- Nothopanax arboreum
- Nothopanax simplex
- Nothopanax sinclairii
The larvae prefer to mine the younger leaves of these trees.
