About the Golden Pigmy
Stigmella aurella is a moth of the family Nepticulidae found in Africa, Asia and Europe. It was first described by the Danish zoologist, Johan Christian Fabricius in 1775. The larvae are leaf miners. The wingspan is 6–7 millimetres (0.24–0.28 in). The head is ferruginous to orange. Antennal eyecaps ochreous-whitish. Forewings shining copper gold; a shining pale golden fascia beyond middle, preceded by a purplish or dark purple-fuscous fascia, apical area beyond this dark purple to fuscous. Hindwings rather dark grey. Adults are on wing in May and later in the summer.
Ovum Eggs are laid on either side of a leaf. Larva Larvae are amber yellow with a greenish-brown gut and a yellow-brown head. The mine is a long sinuous gallery which gradually widens and the frass is dispersed. Larvae feed on common agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria), Agrimonia procera, bastard-agrimony (Aremonia agrimonoides), musk strawberry (Fragaria moschata), wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca), creamy strawberry (Fragaria viridis), water avens (Geum rivale), wood avens (Geum urbanum), European dewberry (Rubus caesius), Rubus dumetorum, European blackberry (Rubus fruticosus), raspberry (Rubus idaeus)... Wikipedia →