Agonopterix nanatella

Agonopterix nanatella is a moth of the family Depressariidae. It is found in most of Europe, except Fennoscandia, Poland, Ukraine, the Baltic region and most of the Balkan Peninsula.

Plant of Carlina vulgaris with mined leaves

Larva

Agonopterix nanatella
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Depressariidae
Genus:	Agonopterix
Species:	A. nanatella
Binomial name
Agonopterix nanatella (Stainton, 1849)[1]
Synonyms
Depressaria nanatella Stainton, 1849 Depressaria aridella Mann, 1869

The wingspan is 15–19 mm.[2] The forewings are pale whitish ochreous, brownish-tinged and strewn with brown strigulae , costa marked with spots of darker strigulae; first and sometimes second discal stigmata dark fuscous; sometimes a suffused fuscous spot between and above these. Hindwings grey, darker posteriorly. The larva is yellow-green; dots grey; dorsal line darker; head and plate of 2 black[3]

Adults are on wing from July to August.[4]

The larvae of ssp. nanatella feed on Carlina vulgaris. They initially mine the leaves of their host plant. The mine has the form of a blotch mine. Older larvae vacate their mines and continues feeding from within a rolled leaf.[5] The larvae of ssp. aridella feed on Cirsium species. They may also create a blotch mine, which is full depth and little contracted. It is mostly limited to the leaf tip. Not all larvae mine though, some live freely on the leaves of their host. Pupation takes place outside of the mine.[6]

Larvae can be found from April to May (aridella) or June (nanatella). They are pale yellowish green with a black head.