Epermenia chaerophyllella, also known as the garden lance-wing, is a moth of the family Epermeniidae first described by Johann August Ephraim Goeze in 1783. It is found in all of Europe and Asia Minor.[1] [2]
Moths can be found in all months of the year. They are most abundant from October to May and in July and August.[3] The wingspan is 12–14 mm. Adults are blackish, chestnut and whitish. There are two to three generations per year with the last generation of adults overwintering.[4] Epermenia aequidentellus looks similar, but has narrower forewings without a hooked apex.[5]
Larvae can be found from May to June and again from August to September.[6] The body sometimes appear translucent and can be glossy white, yellow or greenish, with black or brown spots and a whitish dorsal line. The head is pale brown. There are five instars.[3] Larva of Epermenia aequidentellus found on wild carrot (Daucus carota) have a dark dorsal line and a black head.[4]
The larvae feed on various Apiaceae species, including ground elder (Aegopodium podagraria), garden angelica (Angelica archangelica litoralis), angelica (Angelica sylvestris), bur-chervil (Anthriscus caucalis), chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium), cow parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris), celery (Apium graveolens), lesser water-parsnip (Berula erecta), caraway (Carum carvi), Chaerophyllum hirsutum, rough chervil (Chaerophyllum temulum), cowbane (Cicuta virosa), hemlock (Conium maculatum), wild carrot (Daucus carota), giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum), hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium), lovage (Levisticum officinale), water dropwort (Oenanthe species), parsnip (Pastinaca sativa), Peucedanum species, burnet-saxifrage (Pimpinella saxifraga), moon carrot (Seseli libanotis), Silaum species, Sison amomum,[7] great water-parsnip (Sium latifolium) and hedge parsleys (Torilis species).[6]