Elophila nymphaeata, Crete - photo © K. Bormpoudaki
Elophila nymphaeata (Linnaeus, 1758)
MOTH INFO
Elophila nymphaeata is a moth of the family Crambidae on the island of Crete, Greece.
Scientific name
Elophila nymphaeata (Linnaeus, 1758)
Phalaena (Geometra) nymphaeata Linnaeus, 1758)
Phalaena nymphaealis (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)
Nymphula hederalis (Blackbird, 1935)
Common name
Classification
Superfamily: Pyraloidea > Family: Crambidae > Subfamily: Acentropinae > Genus: Elophila
Wingspan
22-33 mm
Habitat
Stream and river banks, marshes, intermittent lakes, canals, and waterlogged meadows.
Food plant
The larva is aquatic and feeds on aquatic plants, i.e. Alismataceae (Alisma plantago-aquatica), Potomagetonaceae (Potamogeton lucens, Potamogeton pusillus, Stuckenia pectinata), etc. It can be spotted on the underside of the leaf. It mines the leaf for the first three days and then forms a flat case from which the larva feeds.
Flight period*
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
*based on a few observations on the island