Chionodes fumatella explained

Chionodes fumatella, the downland groundling, is a moth of the family Gelechiidae. It is found in almost all of Europe (except Portugal and Croatia).^[1] Outside of Europe, it is found in Turkey, the Caucasus, Mongolia and from Siberia to the Russian Far East.^[2]

The wingspan is 12–19 mm.^{[3] [4]} The terminal joint of palpi as long as second. Forewings brown, usually mixed with dark fuscous; usually indistinct dark fuscous spots on costa near base, at 4, and beyond middle, and in disc near base and at 4; stigmata black, often partly edged with whitish, first discal beyond plical; an indistinct pale ferruginous-tinged angulated fascia at 3/4, sometimes almost. obsolete. Hindwings light grey. ^{[5] [6] [7]}

Adults have been recorded on wing from June to August.^[8] The larvae have been reared on Lotus corniculatus.

Notes and References

1. https://web.archive.org/web/20150924151041/http://www.faunaeur.org/full_results.php?id=437363 Fauna Europaea
2. et al. 2010: The gelechiid fauna of the southern Ural Mountains, part II: list of recorded species with taxonomic notes (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae). Zootaxa, 2367: 1–68. Preview
3. Web site: microlepidoptera.nl . 2013-09-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140701153929/http://microlepidoptera.nl/soorten/species.php?speciescode=330640&p=1 . 2014-07-01 . dead .
4. http://www.lepiforum.de/lepiwiki.pl?Chionodes_Fumatella lepiforum.de
5. Meyrick, E., 1895 A Handbook of British Lepidoptera MacMillan, London pdf Keys and description
6. Heath, J.,ed. 1976 The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland Vol. 4 Part 2
7. 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
8. https://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?bf=790 UK Moths