Eriocrania salopiella
Introduction '''''Eriocrania salopiella''''' (also known as the '''small birch purple''') is a moth of the family Eriocraniidae and is found in Europe. It was described by the English entomologist, Henry Tibbats Stainton in 1854.The larvae mine the leaves of birch (''Betula'' species).
Description The wingspan is about 1 centimetre. The adult moths are golden coloured with purple markings with prominent yellow triangular patch on the tornus. The head is covered with golden hairs. Flies in the sunshine in April and May amongst birches. ; OvumEggs are laid on the leaves of birch including silver birch (''Betula pendula'') and downy birch (''Betula pubescens''); LarvaThe larvae are whitish with a pale brown head and mine the leaves of birch (''Betula'' species) in May and June. The mine starts as a corridor, usually near the mid-rib and gradually widens to a blotch. ''Eriocrania sparrmannella'' has a similar looking mine, but feeds from mid-June to August.MineLarva; PupaThe larvae pupate in the soil in a tough, silken cocoon.
Distribution The moth is found in northern and central Europe.
Etymology Stainton described the moth from a specimen found near Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England. He initially allocated the moth to the genus ''Micropteryx'', which comes from the Greek for ''mikros'', little and ''pterux'', a wing. The moth was later moved to the genus ''Erioncrania''. ''Erion'' refers to wool and ''kranion'' means the upper part of the head, which literally means woolly-headed, i.e. rough-haired, referring to the scales on the top of the head. The specific name, ''salopiella'' refers to Salop i.e. Shropshire, the locality of the type specimen.
References
External links *  Swedish Moths*  UKmoths