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I saw this micro-moth in my girlfriend's apartment in Moscow on 24/8/2007 - size about 4mm. Can anyone say what it might be and roughly what it might be doing there - is it a leaf-miner? I am fairly sure they come up from trees growing lower on the street but this is the 15th floor so I am not sure if they would fly up that high normally!

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This seems to be a species of Phyllonorycter (Gracillariidae), a leaf-mining moth indeed. Compare the picture of P. populifoliella under www.lepiforum.de/...read=21130. I do not know whether this species occurs in Moscow, it is, however, listed in Russian forest websites.
Best wishes, Sundew

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Thanks! I think you're right - there are lots of trees of the genus Populus below her apartment, so that fits very well. She'll be glad to know they're harmless and not eating her clothes! It's interesting that they make it up to the 15th floor in such large numbers though - the trees must be infested.

Chris R.

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I think Phyllonorycter comparella is also a possible option. With a lot of Tilia cordata in our town, I meet Ph. issikii very often, it's also quite inconspicuous.

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It's possible she has a few species in her area I think - I just photographed one for reference - I remember seeing others that looked similar but slightly different. Her main worry was working out why they were there and if they would do any damage or infest her apartment - but I think they were just flying up to the lights in the evening