Appearance
Pupae are brown with dark oculi and paler abdominal segments.Adults are small, with a forewing length of up to 4.6 millimetres and a wingspan of 8–10 millimetres . The species is more plainly marked than many other European species of ''Micropterix'', and has dark bronze-coloured forewings with distinctive purple bases. The hindwings are rather dark bronzy-grey. The head is deep ferruginous-yellow.
Behavior
Eggs are laid amongst vegetation on the soil surface. They are translucent white turning grey, prior to hatching. The larva feed on tender, young growth of herbacaeous plants and pupate in a tough, silken cocoon.Like other members of the family, ''Micropterix calthella'' has functional jaws in its imaginal stage. As adult, it feeds on pollen grains from a wide variety of plants such as maple , bugle , ''Caltha'', ''Cardamine'', sedge , hawthorn , mercuries and buttercup . The adults possess sociable behavior.
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