Stigmella tricentra

Stigmella tricentra is a moth of the family Nepticulidae. It is found in New Zealand.

Taxonomy
This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1889 under the name Nepticula tricentra.

The length of the forewings is about 2.6 mm. Adults have been recorded emerging through the upper cuticle of the leaf in March and October. Adults reared from larvae collected in May, July and August hatched June, August and September. There are probably two generations per year.

The larvae feed on Helichrysum aggregatum. They mine the leaves of their host plant. The mine is tightly coiled. The contortions are so close together that the mine often forms a secondary blotch. The frass fills the gallery, but the original course is recognisable because the gallery walls remain. Larva have been recorded from April to September. They are 3–4 mm long and pale yellow.

The cocoon is spun from brown silk and is found within the mine. Cocoons have been found in May, August and September.