Pancalia leuwenhoekella explained

Pancalia leuwenhoekella is a moth in the family Cosmopterigidae.

Subspecies

Subspecies include:^[1]

• Pancalia leuwenhoekella leuwenhoekella
• Pancalia leuwenhoekella japonica Riedl, 1973 (Japan: Honshu)
• Pancalia leuwenhoekella mandshuricella Sinev, 1985 (Russian Far East)

Distribution and habitat

This species is present in nearly all of Europe.^[2] In the east, the range extends to Asia Minor, the Caucasus, south-western Siberia and the Russian Far East. Pancalia leuwenhoekella prefers chalk and limestone habitats.

Description

Pancalia leuwenhoekella has a wingspan of 10–12 mm. The head and thorax are dark bronzy-metallic. Antennae usually with white subapical band. Forewings are deep orange, margins more or less blackish; a narrow interrupted fascia at 1/4, a costal spot before middle and another inwardly oblique at 3/4, a dorsal median spot and an erect tornal mark pale golden-metallic, blackish-edged; a whitish spot in cilia on posterior costal spot. Hindwings are rather dark bronzy-fuscous.^[3] This species is very similar to Pancalia schwarzella .

Biology

The larva is dull purple - reddish, segmental incisions and wrinkles pale brownish-ochreous; head pale yellowish-brown, darker-marked; plate of 2 transparent.^[3] Adults are on wing from April to June.^[4]

The larvae feed on Viola species, including Viola tricolor, Viola hirta and Viola canina.^[5]

Bibliography

• Bradley, J.D.Checklist of Lepidoptera Recorded from The British Isles, Second Edition (Revised) (2000)
• C. Koster, S. Yu. Sinev: Momphidae, Batrachedridae, Stathmopodidae, Agonoxenidae, Cosmopterigidae, Chrysopeleiidae. In: P. Huemer, O. Karsholt, L. Lyneborg (Hrsg.): Microlepidoptera of Europe. 1. Auflage. Band 5. Apollo Books, Stenstrup 2003, ISBN 87-88757-66-8, S. 93
• Emmet, A.M., Langmaid, J.R. (Eds.)The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland, Volume 4 (Part 1) (2002)

External links

• Lepiforum
• Funet - Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and some other life forms

Notes and References

1. https://www.gbif.org/species/search?q=Pancalia%20leuwenhoekella GBIF
2. https://fauna-eu.org/cdm_dataportal/taxon/f6540435-a3a4-4c0b-9f61-cea301f63795 Fauna Europaea
3. Meyrick, E., 1895 A Handbook of British Lepidoptera MacMillan, London pdf Keys and description
4. https://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?bf=899 UKmoths
5. http://www.microlepidoptera.nl/soorten/species.php?speciescode=300005&p=1 microlepidoptera.nl