Gelechiidae

35.044 Scarce Moss-moth Bryotropha dryadella (Zeller, 1850)

pRDB2

Similar species:

Forewing: 5 to 5.5mm

Habitats: Coastal limestone or serpentine, chalk quarries and sand-dunes.

Habits: The moth flies from early evening and later comes to light.

Foodplant: The larva feeds from a transparent, slanting to vertical, debris free, silk tube in a moss. It is known to feed on Comb Moss Ctenidium molluscum, Bird's-claw Beard-moss Barbula ungiculata, another unidentified Barbula sp. and an unidentified Bryum sp. The records of this moth on these mosses are usually also associated with grasses and in some cases the silk tube is anchored at the base to a grass. One species it feeds on that is not associated with grass is Yellow Feather-moss Homalothecium lutescens. It pupates in a cocoon lightly spun with moss.