Stigmella aeneofasciella (Herrich-Schäffer, 1855)
Diagnosis. S. aeneofasciella and S. pretiosa are the only two northern European Stigmella species with a proximal fascia and a medial fascia; see Diagnosis at S. pretiosa. Male and female genitalia rather similar to those of S. stelviana.
Male. Wingspan: 4.5-5.5 mm. Head: frontal tuft and vertex black; collar black; scape white; antenna two-thirds length of forewing, dark grey. Forewing: shining dark bronzy, suffused with purple, violet and dark blue; with two indistinct, shining golden fasciae of varying width, one at one-third and one at two-thirds; terminal cilia dark grey. Hindwing and cilia grey. Abdomen dark grey, lustrous. Female. Wingspan: 4.5-5.5 mm. Antenna slightly shorter than in male. Male genitalia. Vinculum short; anterior margin with shallow emargination. Uncus very broad, with deep medial and paramedial notches. Gnathos with lateral arms and anterior process forming a large rectangular plate; horns well separated at base. Valva long, inner lobe broadly curved; distal process short and blunt. Transtilla with long transverse bar and short and distinct sublateral processes. Juxta present. Aedeagus about as long as genital capsule; with 3-4 strong cornuti with broad bases and some small spines near tip, proximal part with about 15 strong close-set cornuti.
Female genitalia. Corpus bursae large with sparse, fine pectinations. Vestibulum cone-shaped, relatively small. Accessory sac markedly smaller than corpus bursae. Ductus spermathecae broad, sclerotized along one side only, proximal part with spines. Apophyses strong, posteriores and anteriores of subequal length.
Host plants: Potentilla spp., Fragaria and Agrimonia. Egg: on lower surface of leaf. Larva: pale greenish yellow. Mine : first part of mine very narrow, approximately 3 cm long, and usually following the margin or the main vein; frass in a very thin black central line; second part of mine a wide blotch, often occupying the entire leaf, with frass irregularly dispersed. Cocoon: pale brown.
Eastern Denmark, including F. In Sweden up to Ly. Lpm. Widespread in Norway. In Finland up to Kb. - In southern England and throughout central Europe.
Voltinism: bivoltine in central Europe and southern Scandinavia, univoltine in northern Scandinavia. Mines during June-July and from second half of September to first half of October in southern Scandinavia.
Description based on Johansson and Nielsen (1990)
