Small (ws:7-12mm)
Head covered with broad flat scales, with a tuft of hair scales at vertex
Antenna simple, shorter than forewing. Scape with a large eyecap. Proboscis rudimentary. Maxillary palps folded. Labial palps shorter but straight
Forewing venation reduced to 5 unbranched veins (cf branched in Nepticulidae). Hindwing frenulum replaced by a series of stiff bristles
Both wings have long cilia.
Hindtibia appears to have 2 pairs of spurs and a series of stiff bristles - but this is not mentioned in MBGBI.
Head covered with broad flat scales, with a tuft of hair scales at vertex
Antenna simple, shorter than forewing. Scape with a large eyecap. Proboscis rudimentary. Maxillary palps folded. Labial palps shorter but straight
Forewing venation reduced to 5 unbranched veins (cf branched in Nepticulidae). Hindwing frenulum replaced by a series of stiff bristles
Both wings have long cilia.
Hindtibia appears to have 2 pairs of spurs and a series of stiff bristles - but this is not mentioned in MBGBI.
Opostega (2S)
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001 Opostega salaciella (Sorrel Bent-wing)
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002 Opostega spatulella
Has not occurred in the UK since 1955, but it seems to be an irruptive species and it still occurs in widespread countries across Europe, so I guess it could turn up again. Incidentally, one of the the few places it has been recorded in Britain is Southend, Essex (where I live). Unlike other British representatives of this family it has ochreous rather than white forewing ground colour. |
Pseudopostega (2S)
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003 Pseudopostega auritella (Fen Bent-wing)
ws: 9-12mm; Jun-Jul; larval mine in Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris); fens of Norfolk and Cambridgeshire (recently present at Sutton Fen). Forewing has a mid-dorsal fuscous mark on a white ground colour and no mid-costal oblique mark. |
004 Pseudopostega crepusculella (Mint Bent-wing)
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All images © Chris Lewis
