Scythris 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.

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

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


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