Karamū Leafminer
Common NameKaramū Leafminer
Scientific NameStigmella kauri
FamilyNepticulidae
SubfamilyNepticulinae
Wingspan (mm)4
Primary Colorsblack, silver, white
HabitatForests, shrublands, and gardens where host plants grow
Geographic RangeNew Zealand
Host PlantsCoprosma species (Karamū)
Flight PeriodMultiple broods, likely year-round in suitable conditions
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesLarvae are leafminers, creating characteristic serpentine or blotch mines within the leaves of their host plants. Pupation typically occurs outside the mine in a silken cocoon.
Identification TipsDistinguished by its extremely small size, iridescent dark wings with white markings, and the distinctive leaf mines created by its larvae on *Coprosma* species.
Description
A minute, slender moth with iridescent dark forewings, often marked with silvery-white spots or fasciae, and a prominent dark anal tuft.
