Aristotelia ericinella explained

Aristotelia ericinella is a moth of the family Gelechiidae. It is found in most of Europe, except most of the Balkan Peninsula.

The wingspan is 9–13 mm.[1] The forewings are dark fuscous with a dorsal streak to beyond middle, and sometimes a posterior spot in disc both reddish ochreous. There is a spot on dorsum at base, an oblique fascia at 1/4, a costally furcate fascia in middle, a tornal spot, a costal spot beyond it, and some terminal dots all rosy silvery; stigmata sometimes obscurely blackish. The hindwings are grey. The larva is ochreous-brown, rosy-tinged ; subdorsal line dark brown, partly edged with pale yellowish ; spiracular pale yellowish,slender ; head and front of 2 pale brown.[2] [3] [4] [5]

Adults are on wing from July to August.

The larvae feed on Calluna species and Empetrum nigrum.[6] Larvae can be found from September to June.

Notes and References

  1. http://www.microlepidoptera.nl/soorten/species.php?speciescode=330290&p=1 microlepidoptera.nl
  2. Meyrick, E., 1895 A Handbook of British Lepidoptera MacMillan, London pdf Keys and description
  3. Heath, J.,ed. 1976 The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland Vol. 4 Part 2
  4. Langmaid, J. R., Palmer, S. M. & Young, M. R. [eds]. 2018 A Field Guide to the Smaller Moths of Great Britain and Ireland [3rd ed.]Reading, Berkshire. British Entomological and Natural History Society
  5. https://lepiforum.org/wiki/page/Aristotelia_ericinella lepiforum.de includes images
  6. https://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?bf=752 UKmoths