Small Thistle Moth

Tebenna micalis

"Tebenna micalis", the small thistle moth, is a species of moth of the Choreutidae family. It is found nearly worldwide although in Europe it is found south of the line Ireland, Great Britain, France and Slovakia. In Britain it is an immigrant that occurs irregularly.
Velvet - Tebenna micalis Australia,Geotagged,Spring,Tebenna micalis,Vagrant Twitcher

Appearance

The wingspan is about 13 millimetres. It is extremely similar/identical to the Nearctic "Tebenna gnaphaliella".
Tebenna micalis - metalmark moth This is a very small moth, around 5mm to 7mm in length, at a guess. Fairly easy to approach, but due to its size, extremely difficult to get a decent, sharp shot, due to the very small macro depth of field. Location is Bandung, West Java, Indonesia. Alongside a stream and paddy fields. http://www.jungledragon.com/image/38037/tebenna_micalis_-_metalmark_moth.html Bandung,Geotagged,Indonesia,Java,Tebenna micalis,West Java,Winter,metalmark,moth

Naming

*"Tebenna micalis micalis"
⤷ "Tebenna micalis dialecta" Diakonoff, 1985
Small Thistle Moth - Tebenna micalis A very minute moth found on daisies in a domestic garden. It is similar in appearance to the Nearctic Tebenna gnaphaliella Australia,Eamw moth,Everlasting tebenna moth,Geotagged,Spring,Tebenna ew,Tebenna micalis,Vagrant Twitcher

Distribution

Outside of Europe, it has been recorded from China, Nepal, Russia, Japan, Afghanistan, Tadzhikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenia, Canary Islands, North Africa, Arabia, Asia Minor, Zakavkazye, Iran, Lebanon, New Zealand, and the Oriental, Ethiopian, Australian and Nearctic regions.
Small Thistle Moth - Tebenna micalis Attracted to UV light Australia,Eamw moth,Encounter Bay SA,Encounter Bay moth,Geotagged,Small Thistle Moth,Summer,Tebenna ew,Tebenna micalis,UVL

Food

The larvae feed on Asteraceae. They were recorded on "Pulicaria dysenterica" in the United Kingdom, in Australia on "Arctotheca calendula", "Cirsium vulgare", "Erigeron canadensis", "Onopordum acanthium" and "Xerochrysum bracteatum", and in Réunion on "Cynara scolymus".

They mine the leaves of their host plant. The mine consists of a sizable blotch with an ample quantity of frass. The larva may leave its mine and restart elsewhere. Older larvae often live free in a web under the leaf.

References:

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Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionArthropoda
ClassInsecta
OrderLepidoptera
FamilyChoreutidae
GenusTebenna
SpeciesT. micalis
Photographed in
Australia
Indonesia