Tinea trinotella

Tinea trinotella
Adult photographed in Graz (Austria)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Tineidae
Genus:	Tinea
Species:	T. trinotella
Binomial name
Tinea trinotella Thunberg, 1794
Synonyms
Numerous, see text

Numerous, see text

Tinea trinotella is a species of tineoid moth. It belongs to the fungus moth family (Tineidae), and therein to the nominate subfamily Tineinae. It was once used as type species of a distinct genus Acedes, but this is synonymized today with Tinea, the type genus of Tineinae, Tineidae and the superfamily Tineoidea.

It is widespread and common in much of western Eurasia; no records exist from Slovenia but as it is found in the surrounding countries, it may well have simply not been noticed yet. Its absence from Iceland seems to be genuine however. The nocturnal adults are on the wing about May to August, depending on the location, and are easily attracted to light sources. Two generations may occur each year at least in part of its range.

This small moth has a wingspan of 12–18 mm when adult. Their forewings are a plain greyish-buff with a golden hue, and bear the one large, one medium and one small clear-cut black dots referenced in the specific name trinotella. On the head, they have a tuft of yellow or orange hairs. The caterpillars live in small portable cases they build from debris held together with their own silk, just like those of the case-bearing clothes moth (T. pellionella) and other relatives. They typically inhabit bird nests – e.g. of chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus), domestic pigeon (Columba livia domestica), linnet (Carduelis cannabina) or common chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) – where they feed on food remains and similar organic detritus. They have also been found on discarded woolen fabrics.

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Wikipedia