Elachista seductilis

Elachista seductilis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Elachistidae
Genus:	Elachista
Species:	E. seductilis
Binomial name
Elachista seductilis Kaila, 2011

Elachista seductilis is a moth of the Elachistidae family that is endemic to New South Wales.^[1]

The wingspan is 7.5–8.1 millimetres (0.30–0.32 in) for males and 8–9.5 millimetres (0.31–0.37 in) for females. The forewings are pale bluish grey. Females are darker. The hindwings are dark grey.

The larvae feed on Carex appressa and Cyperus exaltatus. They mine the leaves of their host plant. The larvae usually mine downwards, but can change direction when meeting obstacles. The mine is straight, gradually widening and greenish white in colour. It can reach a length of 150–300 millimetres (5.9–11.8 in) long. The frass is deposited in a long regular row along the center of the mine. Pupation takes place outside of the mine on the midrib of a leaf of the host plant under the shelter of a dense web.

References

1. Lauri Kaila. "Elachistine Moths of Australia: Lepidoptera, Gelechioidea, Elachistidae". Monographs on Australian Lepidoptera. CSIRO. 2.