Tortricidae

49.380 Purple Marbled Tortrix Pammene gallicana (Guenée, 1845)

Notable B

Similar species:

Forewing: 4.5 to 6mm

Habitats: Downland, dry grassland, wasteground, sand-dunes and marshland.

Habits: On warm afternoons the moth basks in the sun on the flower-head of the foodplant. It occasionally comes to light.

Foodplant: The larva spins together several seeds of Wild Carrot and lives within, sometimes gregariously. It has also been recorded from Cow Parsley, Hogweed, Wild Parsnip, Pepper Saxifrage and Milk Parsley. In late autumn when the larva is full-fed it spins a cocoon in the earth or in the seed-head, where it overwinters until it pupates in April.