Cosmopterigidae

34.007 Canary-grass Beauty Cosmopterix orichalcea Stainton, 1861

Notable A

Similar species:

Forewing: 4 to 5mm

Habitats: Damp pasture, marshes, fens and other wetland sites.

Habits: The moth can be swept from the foodplant. It occasionally comes to light.

Foodplant: The larva makes a succession of long, narrow, white mines on Reed Canary-grass, Common Reed, Sweet Vernal-grass, Tall Fescue, Millet or Holy-grass. The frass that is not ejected remains concentrated in a few heaps throughout the mine. It may change leaves. The full-fed larva overwinters in a cocoon spun on a leaf or in the leaf litter. It pupates in this cocoon in May.