Scythris cicadella
| Scythris cicadella | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Scythrididae |
| Genus: | Scythris |
| Species: | S. cicadella |
| Binomial name | |
| Scythris cicadella (Zeller, 1839)[1] | |
| Synonyms | |
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Scythris cicadella, the Sand Owlet, is a moth of the Scythrididae family. It was described by Zeller in 1839. It is found in central and south-western Europe.[2] The habitat consists of dry or sandy soil.[3]
The wingspan is 9–11 mm. The forewings are deep brown. Females with numerous bluish-white scales. Males are heavily dusted, giving the forewings an almost white appearance. Adults are on wing from mid-May to the end of June and fly during the day when they visit flowers.[4]
The larvae feed on Scleranthus annuus and Scleranthus perennis. Larvae can be found in May and June.