Stigmella trimaculella

{{short description|Species of moth}}

{{Speciesbox

|image = Stigmella trimaculella (14679539326) (cropped).jpg

|taxon = Stigmella trimaculella

|authority = = (Haworth, 1828)

|synonyms =

• Tinea trimaculella Haworth, 1828
• Nepticula albicornella Kollar in Nowicki, 1860
• Nepticula gilvella Rossler, 1866
• Nepticula populella Herrich-Schaffer, 1855
• Nepticula populicola Sorhagen, 1922
• Nepticula rufella Zeller, 1849
• Stigmella subtrimaculella Dufrane, 1949

}}

Stigmella trimaculella is a moth of the family Nepticulidae. It is found in most of Europe, east to the eastern part of Palearctic realm.

Image:Stigmella trimaculella.jpg

The wingspan is {{convert|5|–|6|mm}}. The thick erect hairs on the head vertex are ochreous-yellowish. The collar is white. Antennal eyecaps are whitish. The forewings are dark fuscous; a broad median longitudinal patch extending from base to near middle, and large opposite sometimes confluent triangular costal and dorsal spots beyond middle whitish-yellowish. Hindwings are grey. Abdomen of male yellowish, crimson-tinged.Meyrick, E., 1895 A Handbook of British Lepidoptera MacMillan, London [http://www.lepiforum.de/webbbs/media/forum_2/97/97188_1.jpg External image] [https://lepiforum.org/wiki/page/Stigmella_trimaculella lepiforum.de includes images]{{PD-notice}} Zagulajev, A.K., 1987 Nepticulidae (Stigmellidae); in G.S. Medvedev (ed.): Keys to the insects of the europaean part of the USSR, Vol.IV: Lepidoptera, part 1 (english translation), Oxonian Press Pvt.Ltd., New Dehli, 1987

Emmet, A. M., 1976. Nepticulidae. — In: J. Heath

(ed.). The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland 1: 171—267, pls. 1—7, 11, 12.

Adults are on wing in May and again in August.{{cite web|url=https://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?bf=73|title=Stigmella trimaculella|publisher=UK Moths|accessdate=March 25, 2010}}

The larvae feed on Populus alba, Populus angustifolia, Populus x canadensis, Populus candicans, Populus canescens, Populus deltoides, Populus nigra, Populus simonii, Populus suaveolens, Populus tremula and Populus trichocarpa. They mine the leaves of their host plant.{{cite web|url=http://www.bladmineerders.nl/minersf/lepidopteramin/stigmella/trimaculella/trimaculella.htm|title=Stigmella trimaculella (Haworth, 1828)|publisher=Bladmineerders.nl|accessdate=March 25, 2010|archive-date=March 12, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120312144412/http://www.bladmineerders.nl/minersf/lepidopteramin/stigmella/trimaculella/trimaculella.htm|url-status=dead}}