Pterophoridae

45.021 Dowdy Plume Stenoptilia zophodactylus (Duponchel, 1840)

Local

Similar species:

Forewing: 7.5 to 11mm

Habitats: Sea-cliffs, sand-dunes, quarries, calcareous downland, dry grassland, open woodland and disused gravel pits.

Habits: The moth is easily disturbed in the daytime and flies from dusk. It comes to light.

Foodplant: The larva feeds on Common Centaury or Yellow-wort and rarely on Autumn Gentian or Marsh Gentian. The young larva initially mines a basal leaf and then bores into a bud, causing a yellow discolouration. Several buds are mined before it emerges to feed externally on the flowers and seeds. It pupates either on the flower stem or between the dried seed-pods.