OCHSENHEIMERIIDAE
Small, stoutly built, dull-coloured moths with larvae mining the stems of
grasses. The adults fly in midday sunshine but are rarely observed. All three
British species occur in Essex but are undoubtedly under-recorded.
Ochensenheimeria mediopectinellus (Haw.) Res., (1854)-1976. Grasses. Loc. f.c.
VC 18. 38 *Hackney Marshes (Wood, 1854: 226); Walthamstow, 1937 (SW); 49 High Beach
(Boyd diary, 1869); 68 Stanford-le-Hope; 78 Benfleet (Whittle, 1899a, SW, etc.); 88 Southend
(Machin, 1885); Leigh-on-Sea; 98 Shoeburyness (Whittle, 1899c); 99 Althorne, 1932 (SW).
VC 19. 82 Coggeshall (RWJU); 02 Colchester (VCH).
O. bisontella (L. & Z.) Res., (1903)-1977. Grasses. Loc. and r.
VC 18. 40 *Epping (VCH); 67 Tilbury Docks (HME & TGH); 78 Pitsea, 1936 (RGW). VC 19.
41 Sawbridgeworth Marsh NR, 1977 (AME).
O. vacculella Fisch, v. Rossi. Res., 1885-1965. Grasses. Loc. and r.
VC 18. 49 *Epping Forest (Machin, 1885; 1886b); 40 Epping (VCH); 68 Mucking by CRNB
(Pierce, 1918). VC 19.53 Rowney Wood, 1965 (AME); 81 Tiptree, 1928 (SW).
LYONETIIDAE
Small or very small moths which fly mainly by day. The family is a vast one
with a world-wide distribution, but is poorly represented in Britain. The 23
British species belong to four subfamilies, all of which are represented by the 16
species recorded in Essex. This diversity makes generalisation difficult. The
larvae mine leaves or stems, at any rate in their early instars; the
Bucculatriginae, however, later feed externally, eating holes in the leaves of
their foodplant.
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