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 Scythrididae family. It was described by Zeller in 1839. It is found in central and south-western Europe.[2] The habitat consists of dry or sandy soil.[3]

The wingspan is 9–11 mm. The forewings are deep brown. Females have numerous bluish-white scales. Males are heavily dusted, giving the forewings an almost white appearance. Adults are on wing from mid-May to the end of June and fly during the day when they visit flowers.[4]

The larvae feed on Scleranthus annuus and Scleranthus perennis. Larvae can be found in May and June.

References

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