Ascalenia acaciella

Ascalenia acaciella is a moth in the family Cosmopterigidae. It is found on the Canary Islands and Malta,[1] North Africa, the Near and Middle East and east to Afghanistan[2] and Pakistan. The habitat consists of dry or desert-like areas.

Ascalenia acaciella
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Cosmopterigidae
Genus:
Ascalenia
Species:
A. acaciella
Binomial name
Ascalenia acaciella
Chretien, 1915
Synonyms
  • Scythris maculatella D. Lucas, 1937
  • Ascalenia maculatella
  • Tischeria noviciata Gozmany, 1960
  • Ascalenia noviciata
  • Scythris tergipunctella Turati, 1924
  • Ascalenia tergipunctella

The wingspan is 6–7 mm.[3]

The larvae feed on the flower heads of Acacia species, including Acacia farnesiana, Acacia karroo and Acacia tortilis. Pupation occurs amongst the flowers in a transparent cocoon covered with frass. Adults fly almost year-round, probably in several generations.

References
  1. Fauna Europaea
  2. Notes on the Cosmopterigidae (Lepidoptera) of Afghanistan and Jammu & Kashmir, India with descriptions of two new species
  3. lepiforum.de


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