Elachista trapeziella is a moth of the family Elachistidae found in Europe.
The wingspan is . The head is grey, face white. Forewings are blackish; a spot on fold towards base, one on middle of costa and another beneath it on fold, in female larger and sometimes confluent, a fourth on tornus, and a fifth at apex shining white. Hindwings are dark fuscous. The larva is greenish-grey, faintly reddish tinged.Meyrick, E., 1895 A Handbook of British Lepidoptera MacMillan, London pdf Keys and descriptionEmmet, A. M. (Hrsg.) (1985): The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland. Volume 3 (Yponomeutidae to Elachistidae). Harley Books, Colchester, Essex.Fal’kovich;M. .I., 1990 Elachistidae; in G.S. Medvedev (ed.): Keys to the insects of the europaean part of the USSR, Vol.IV: Lepidoptera, part 2 (english translation), Oxonian Press Pvt.Ltd., New Dehli, 1987
Adults are on wing from June to August.
The larvae feed on white wood-rush (Luzula luzuloides), hairy wood-rush (Luzula pilosa) and greater wood-rush (Luzula sylvatica). They mine the leaves of their host plant. Pupation takes place outside of the mine. They are pink with three cream-coloured length lines and a black head. Larvae can be found from autumn to April or June of the following year.
Distribution It is found from Fennoscandia to the Pyrenees and Italy and from Ireland to Slovakia.
References
External links Lepiforum de Video of a mining Elachista trapeziella larva Elachista trapeziella at UKmoths