Limnaecia phragmitella facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Limnaecia phragmitella |
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| Scientific classification | |
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Cosmopterigidae
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| Genus: |
Limnaecia
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| Species: |
L. phragmitella
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| Binomial name | |
| Limnaecia phragmitella Stainton, 1851
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The shy cosmet moth (Limnaecia phragmitella) is a small moth. It belongs to a group of moths called Cosmopterigidae. You can find this moth in many parts of the world. It lives across Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. It also lives in North America, from Nova Scotia down to Virginia. You can also find it west to Oklahoma and north to Ontario. These moths like to live in wet, marshy places like fens and marshes.
What Does It Look Like?
The shy cosmet moth is quite small. It measures about 15 to 22 millimeters across its wings. That's roughly the size of a small coin!
Adult moths have shiny, yellowish-tan front wings. These wings have two dark brown dots with white rings around them. There is also some dark brown shading near the tips of the wings. The back wings are a tan color mixed with gray.
When Does It Fly?
Adult shy cosmet moths are usually seen flying during the summer months. In western Europe, you might spot them in July. In North America, they fly from June through August.
Life Cycle and What It Eats
The young moths, called larvae, have a special diet. They live inside the seedheads of plants called Typha species. These plants are also known as cattails. The larvae eat the seeds of common cattail (Typha latifolia) and narrow-leaf cattail (Typha angustifolia).
Some scientists think that when the larvae are very young, they might also dig into the soft, spongy parts of the cattail leaves.
The larvae themselves are whitish or pale tan. They have a brown line running down their back. They also have light brown, patchy lines on their sides. The head of the larva is brown with darker brown spots. There are also brown spots on the very last part of their body.
