Stigmella hakekeae facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Stigmella hakekeae |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Family: |
Nepticulidae
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| Genus: |
Stigmella
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| Species: |
S. hakekeae
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| Binomial name | |
| Stigmella hakekeae Donner & Wilkinson, 1989
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The Stigmella hakekeae is a tiny moth that belongs to the Nepticulidae family. You can find this special moth only in New Zealand. It's a very small insect, but it plays an interesting role in its environment.
About the Stigmella hakekeae Moth
This little moth is quite small. Its front wings are only about 3 millimeters long. That's about the size of a small ant! Adult moths can be seen flying around for most of the year. They are usually active in every month except for March and April.
Life Cycle of the Moth
The Stigmella hakekeae moth has a busy life cycle. It can have four or even five generations born each year. This means many new moths are growing up all the time!
What the Larvae Do
The young moths, called larvae, are very interesting. They are about 3 to 4 millimeters long and are a greenish-white color. These larvae are special because they are "leaf miners." This means they live inside the leaves of plants!
They feed on different types of Olearia plants. Some of their favorite plants include Olearia arborescens, Olearia ilicifolia, Olearia macrodonta, Olearia nummularifolia, and Olearia paniculata.
The larvae create a winding tunnel, or "mine," just under the top layer of the leaf. They follow the leaf's veins and then move along the edge of the leaf. As they eat, they leave behind tiny bits of waste called frass. This frass sticks to the roof of their tunnel.
You might find many of these tunnels on a single leaf of Olearia arborescens. However, on Olearia macrodonta leaves, there are usually no more than three tunnels. Larvae have been seen from May to August and also in October.
The Cocoon
When a larva is ready to change into an adult moth, it builds a cocoon. This cocoon is made from brown silk and is usually found on the ground. Inside this cozy silk home, the larva transforms into a beautiful adult moth.
