Caryocolum cauligenella

Caryocolum cauligenella
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Gelechiidae
Genus: Caryocolum
Species: C. cauligenella
Binomial name
Caryocolum cauligenella
(Schmid, 1863)[1]
Synonyms
  • Gelechia cauligenella Schmid, 1863
  • Caryocolum cauligenellum

Caryocolum cauligenella is a moth of the Gelechiidae family. It is found in most of Europe, except Ireland, Great Britain, Norway and most of the Balkan Peninsula.

A swollen stem of Silene nutans (2b); swollen stem sectioned, showing the larva within (2b*)
Larva

The wingspan is 11–13 mm. The forewings are dark brown, flecked with cream. There are three indistinct white transverse fasciae at one-quarter, one-half and four-fifths, mottled with light brown.[2] Adults are on wing in June.[3]

The larvae feed on Silene species, including Silene gallica, Silene nutans and Silene vulgaris. They initially feed inside stem galls on their host plant. Pupation takes place outside of the gall in a white spinning in the soil.[4]

References

  1. Fauna Europaea
  2. Huemer, P (1988). "A taxonomic revision of Caryocolum (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae)". Bulletin of The British Museum (Natural History) Entomology 57: 439–571.
  3. microlepidoptera.nl
  4. lepiforum.de