Carpatolechia fugitivella, the elm groundling, is a moth of the family Gelechiidae. It is found in almost all of Europe (except Portugal, Croatia and Bulgaria),[1] Turkey, the Caucasus, Mongolia, southern Siberia, the Russian Far East and Korea.[2] It is also found in Canada, where it has been recorded from Ontario and Quebec.[3] The habitat consists of woodland, parks, gardens and hedgerows.[4]
The wingspan is 11–15 mm. The head is whitish, grey sprinkled. Terminal joint of palpi longer than second. Forewings are grey, irrorated with blackish; suffused blackish spots on costa near base and before and beyond middle; a blackish streak along fold, sometimes interrupted into two or three spots; two black dots transversely placed in disc at 2/3; a pale angulated fascia at 3/4 sometimes indicated by darker anterior suffusion. Hindwings are grey. The larva is light green, above reddish-tinged; dots black; head and plate of 2 light brown.[5]
Adults have been recorded on wing from June to September.
The larvae feed on Ulmus species (including Ulmus glabra), Quercus, Corylus, Prunus avium, Pyracantha coccinea, Acer, Tilia and Fraxinus species.[6]