Scythris cicadella | |
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Scientific classification
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Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Scythrididae |
Genus: | Scythris |
Species: | S. cicadella
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Binomial name | |
Scythris cicadella | |
Synonyms | |
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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.
The wingspan is 9–11 mm. 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 perennial 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]
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]
Scythris cicadella | |
---|---|
| |
Scientific classification
![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Scythrididae |
Genus: | Scythris |
Species: | S. cicadella
|
Binomial name | |
Scythris cicadella | |
Synonyms | |
|
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.
The wingspan is 9–11 mm. 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 perennial 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]
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]