Elachista freyerella
Broken-barred Dwarf
Wingspan about 8 mm. This diminutive species varies in the intensity of the grey ground colour; some individuals are quite dark with distinct whiter fasciae, some have rather less contrasting markings.
Please provide a photograph. Determination by genitalia examination (gen. det.) required to confirm records to full species.
Favours damp meadows and woodland rides.
There are two generations, with moths on the wing from late April to June and again from late July to September.
The larvae mine the blades of various grasses, including Cock's-foot and species of Meadow-grass. The larval mines can be found from March to April and in July.
Widespread but rather local in Britain. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.
Seems to be scarce in Leicestershire and Rutland.
Pete Leonard
Buckminster Park
02 June 2021
Graham Calow
Sapcote, Harecroft Crescent
15 September 2023
male - confirmed by gen det
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Species profile
- Common names
- Broken-barred Dwarf
- Species group:
- Moths
- Kingdom:
- Animalia
- Order:
- Lepidoptera
- Family:
- Elachistidae
- Records on NatureSpot:
- 2
- First record:
- 02/06/2021 (Leonard, Pete)
- Last record:
- 15/09/2023 (Calow, Graham)
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