About Stenoptilia zophodactylus (Duponchel, 1840)
This species is the moth Stenoptilia zophodactylus (Duponchel, 1840). This moth has a wingspan of 16 to 23 millimeters, and a full description of the species was published by Gielis, C., in 1996. Adult moths can be encountered between July and September, and the species produces two or more overlapping generations each year. Larvae are found from March to September. Young larvae create an irregular full-depth blotch mine that can occupy an entire leaf; frass from larval feeding is deposited as numerous dispersed brown grains within this mine. Some larvae leave the mine during an early instar to feed externally on flower buds and developing fruits, while other larvae remain inside the mine until shortly before they pupate. Known host plants for the larvae of this species include common centaury (Centaurium erythraea), Centaurium venusta, Centaurium littoralis, yellow-wort (Blackstonia perfoliata), great yellow gentian (Gentiana lutea), German gentian (Gentianella germanica), Gentianella diemensis, Sopubia trifida, and ngai camphor (Blumea balsamifera). This moth is distributed across Europe, North America (including Mexico), South America (Ecuador and Paraguay), Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, and Iran.
