45.028 Capperia britanniodactylus Wood Sage Plume Copyright Martin Evans
Distribution map Copyright Martin Evans
Life stages table Copyright Martin Evans 45.028 Capperia britanniodactylus Wood Sage Plume Copyright Martin Evans

Pterophoridae

45.028 Wood Sage Plume Capperia britanniodactylus (Gregson, 1869)

Notable B

Similar species:

Forewing: 8 to 10mm

Habitats: Open woodland, parkland, chalk and limestone downland, dry heathland, acid grassland, coastal sand-dunes and vegetated shingle.

Habits: The moth is rarely disturbed in the day. It flies from dusk and later comes to light.

Foodplant: The larva at first feeds in a sealed flower of Wood Sage. After overwintering in a flower it mines a fresh shoot. It then eats holes in the terminal leaves. The larva then nibbles part of the way through a stem causing it to wilt. Then both the terminal leaves of the wilted part, as well as the fresh leaves are eaten. It pupates on the stem.