Scythris cicadella

Scythris cicadella
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Scythrididae
Genus:	Scythris
Species:	S. cicadella
Binomial name
	Scythris cicadella; (Zeller, 1839)[1]
Synonyms
	Butalis cicadella Zeller, 1839; Oecophora cicadella;

Scythris cicadella, the sand owlet, is a moth of the family Scythrididae found in Europe. It was first described by Philipp Christoph Zeller in 1839.

Description

The wingspan is 9–11 mm. The forewings are deep brown. Females have numerous bluish-white scales while males are heavily dusted, giving the forewings an almost white appearance. Adults are on wing from mid-May to the end of June flying during the day visiting flowers.[2]

The larvae feed on annual knawel (Scleranthus annuus) and perrenial knawel (Scleranthus perennis). Other foodplants are likely as knawel is not found in Sweden; the likely foodplant is Scleranthus cicadella. Larvae can be found in May and June attached to the foodplant, living in a long silken gallery made of sand and debris.[3]

Distribution

S. cicadella is found in central and south-western Europe in areas of dry or sandy soil.[4] Has been found in small numbers in parts of south-eastern England in the past.[5]

References

"Scythris cicadella (Zeller, 1839)". Fauna Europaea. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
microlepidoptera.nl
Bengtsson, B A (2002). Emmet, A Maitland; Langmaid, John R (eds.). Scythrididae. In The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland Volume 4 (Part 1). Colchester: Harley Books. pp. 290–1. ISBN 0 946589 66 6.
Savela, Mark. "Scythris Hübner, [1825]". Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
Kimber, Ian. "Scythris cicadella (Zeller, 1839)". UKmoths. Retrieved 30 May 2020.

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[1] "Scythris cicadella (Zeller, 1839)". Fauna Europaea. Retrieved 30 May 2020.

[2] rolepidoptera.nl

[3] Bengtsson, B A (2002). Emmet, A Maitland; Langmaid, John R (eds.). Scythrididae. In The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland Volume 4 (Part 1). Colchester: Harley Books. pp. 290–1. ISBN 0 946589 66 6.

[4] Savela, Mark. "Scythris Hübner, [1825]". Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms. Retrieved 30 May 2020.

[5] Kimber, Ian. "Scythris cicadella (Zeller, 1839)". UKmoths. Retrieved 30 May 2020.