Scrobipalpa instabilella
35.114 BF812
Wingspan 12-14 mm.
A species of saltmarshes and other muddy habitats around the coasts of England, it is also known from North Wales, Ireland and rarely in Scotland.
The adult is variable, sometimes showing a rufous tinge around the black dots on the forewing. The moths are on the wing during May to July.
A number of foodplants have been recorded, but sea purslane (Halimone portulacoides) seems to be one of the most frequent.
Flight period
| Month | Records |
|---|---|
| January | 0 |
| February | 0 |
| March | 12 |
| April | 4 |
| May | 4 |
| June | 9 |
| July | 29 |
| August | 18 |
| September | 0 |
| October | 0 |
| November | 0 |
| December | 0 |
More details
Foodplant: Halimione portulacoides (Sea purslane), March to May in whitish swollen mine with ejection hole for frass, or in loosely spun leaves. Locally abundant on salt marshes.
Length: 12mm final instar.
Head: Light brown mottled with mid-brown, posterior edge black, rounded black mark postero-laterally, black crescent in stemmatal area, frons edged by fine black line, clypeus white, labrum dark brown. Or, head black.
Prothoracic shield: Shiny light brown, marked blackish at posterior, translucent showing black edging on posterior of head.
Thoracic legs: Shiny black.
Body: Yellow tinted grey-green, reddish dorsal line, broader subdorsal reddish line, faint thin reddish subspiracular line.
Spiracles: Peritreme dark brown.
Pinacula: Small (larger on segment A9), slightly paler than integument with prominent black setal spot.
Setae: Transparent colourless.
Anal plate: Yellowish brown.
Prolegs: Coloured as abdomen, with dark brown crochets.
