Caryocolum viscariella explained

Caryocolum viscariella is a moth of the family Gelechiidae. It is found in Ireland, Great Britain, Fennoscandia, Denmark, Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Italy, Estonia and Russia.

The wingspan is about 12 mm.[1] The head is dark fuscous, mixed with whitish-fuscous. Terminal joint of palpi shorter than second. Forewings deep ochreous-brown, much mixed with dark fuscous; a dark spot on fold near base ; stigmata black, indistinct, plical separating two obscure paler triangular dorsal blotches ; a slightly angulated sometimes interrupted whitish-ochreous fascia at 3,4. Hindwings grey. Larva dull green; dorsal line darker; head black ; 2 reddish=grey, plate black, bisected: in spun shoots.[2] [3] [4] [5]

Adults are on wing from June to July in one generation per year.[6]

The larvae feed on Silene dioica, Silene alba and Lychnis viscaria. The larvae can be found from April to June.

Notes and References

  1. Huemer . P . 1988 . A taxonomic revision of Caryocolum (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) . Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology . 57 . 439–571 .
  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/Caryocolum_viscariella lepiforum.de includes images
  6. https://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?bf=828 UKmoths