Gelechiidae

35.119 Buck's-horn Root Miner Scrobipalpa samadensis (Pfaffenzeller, 1870)

Notable B

Similar species:

Forewing: 5 to 7mm

Habitats: Salt-marsh and sometimes sand-dunes and coastal shingle. In Europe inland at 2000m altitude.

Habits: The moth comes to light.

Foodplant: The young larva mines a short, narrow gallery in the young leaves of Sea Plantain, Buck's-horn Plantain and Ribwort Plantain. It sometimes spins two leaves together to feed on their surface. It later bores into the rhizome where its presence can be detected by wilting, discoloured leaves and frass in the centre of the plant. It pupates in the rootstock.