Elachista gleichenella

Wingspan about 9 mm. This small but attractive species has a slight metallic sheen to the yellowish-white fasciae on the forewing.

Inhabiting shaded woodland habitats and areas with sedges.

There is a single, fairly protracted generation, with moths on the wing from May to August.

The foodplants are various sedges (Carex spp.) or wood-rush (Luzula), upon which the larvae, typically for the genus, create a blotch mine on the blades.

A widespread but local species over much of the British Isles. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.

Rare or under recorded in Leicestershire and Rutland. The Ulverscroft record for 18th May 2012 may be the first for VC55.