Gelechia sororculella explained

Gelechia sororculella, the dark-striped groundling, is a moth of the family Gelechiidae. It is widely distributed from Europe, throughout Siberia to the Russian Far East.^[1]

Life cycle and description

The wingspan is 15–17 mm.^[2] The terminal joint of palpi is almost as long as second. Forewings rather dark fuscous, more or less whitish-sprinkled, paler dorsally, between veins blackish mixed; a white dot in disc at 1/4 ; stigmata black, first discal conspicuously white-ringed, other two partly white-edged, first and second discal connected by a blackish streak ; a blackish interrupted streak along fold ; a fine whitish angulated fasciaat 3/4 ; terminal blackish dots, partly whitish-edged. Hind wings are over 1, grey.The larva is whitish green; dorsal and lateral lines broad, brown ; head brown.^{[3] [4] [5] [6]}

Adults are on wing from July to August in one generation per year.

Ova

Eggs are laid on willows (Salix species), usually goat willow (S. caprea) but also eared willow (S. aurita), grey willow (S. cinerea), purple willow (S. purpurea), creeping willow (S.repens) and osier (S. viminalis).^[7]

Larva

Larvae can be found in May.^[8]

Pupa

The pale brown pupa can be found in May and June in a spinning among leaves.^[8]

External links

• UKmoths

Notes and References

1. 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
2. Web site: microlepidoptera.nl . 2013-10-10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140701152213/http://microlepidoptera.nl/soorten/species.php?speciescode=330830&p=1 . 2014-07-01 . dead .
3. Meyrick, E., 1895 A Handbook of British Lepidoptera MacMillan, London pdf Keys and description
4. Heath, J.,ed. 1976 The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland Vol. 4 Part 2
5. 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
6. https://lepiforum.org/wiki/page/Gelechia_sororculella lepiforum.de includes images
7. Web site: 35.101 Gelechia sororculella (Hübner, 1817) . Gelechiid Recording Scheme . 13 January 2019.
8. Book: Emmet . A Maitland . Langmaid . John R . Bland . K P . Fletcher . D S . Harley . B H . Robinson . G S . Skinner . Bernard . Tremewan . W G . A. Maitland Emmet . Bernard Skinner (entomologist) . . 2002 . 157 . Harley Books . Colchester . 0-946589-66-6.