Status
Morley’s Final Catalogue: Not listed. Nepticulids were not well studied and only 21 species listed.
Recent Status: A rare species in Suffolk.
Life Style: A double brooded species flying during May, June, August and September. The larvae feed on Acer platanoides buds or seeds. They pupate in a cocoon. Larvae hibernate.
Identification: This species is similar to E. louisella. They have a dark wing with white markings, at the base, fascia at one third, a pair of opposing marks on the costa and tornus and pale cilia. The head tuft of E. louisella is a dingy orange compared to a brighter orange for E. sericopeza. The collar is dark for E. louisella and orange for E. sericopeza.
Depending on the time of year the larvae feed either by eating out the centre of leaf or flower buds, causing them to fall, else feeding on the seeds after a narrow gallery mine to reach it. http://www.lepiforum.de/lepiwiki.pl?Etainia_Sericopeza  | Determination by Genitalia Examination Required | |
Recorded in 11 (19%) of 58 10k Squares.
First Recorded in 2002.
Last Recorded in 2022. |