Scythris cicadella, the sand owlet, is a moth of the family Scythrididae found in Europe. It was first described by Philipp Christoph Zeller in 1839.
The wingspan is 9–11 mm. Adults are on wing from mid-May to the end of June flying during the day visiting flowers.[1]
The larvae feed on annual knawel (Scleranthus annuus) and perennial knawel (Scleranthus perennis). Other foodplants are likely as knawel is not found in Sweden; the likely foodplant is Scleranthus cicadella. Larvae can be found in May and June attached to the foodplant, living in a long silken gallery made of sand and debris.[2]
S. cicadella is found in central and south-western Europe in areas of dry or sandy soil.[3] Has been found in small numbers in parts of south-eastern England in the past.[4]