Gelechiidae

35.079 Silver-barred Moss-moth Oxypteryx wilkella (Linnaeus, 1758)

Notable B

Similar species:

Forewing: 4 to 5mm

Habitats: Coastal shingle beaches and sand-dunes, inland breckland and sand quarries.

Habits: The moth is occasionally disturbed in the day. It comes to light.

Foodplant: The larva feeds on Sand-hill Screw-moss Syntrichia ruralis ruraliformis, Great Plait-moss Hypnum lacunosum var. lacunosum and Broom Fork-moss Dicranum scoparium. Depending on the depth and species of moss, it constructs a sloping to almost upright whitish silk tube, spattered with moss fragments and reaching almost to the surface of the moss. It pupates amongst the moss in a frass covered cocoon.