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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 :)