Species Details

ABH: 63.099

BF: 1313

Family: Crambidae

Subfamily: Crambinae

Taxon: Catoptria pinella

Authority: (Linnaeus, 1758)

Vernacular: Pearl Grass-moth

Account: Common on damp heathland, mosses, fens, marshes, river-banks and other damp areas throughout the British Isles, more numerous in the south-east The main confusion species, which all lack the fine white subterminal line at tip of white stripe, are C. speculalis, C. permutatella and C. osthelderi [Goater]. Larva feeds within roots of grasses such as Cotton-sedge and Tufted Hair-grass.

Accounts provided by and used with the kind permission of Mike Wall, Hampshire County Moth Recorder. These will in due course be gradually replaced with species accounts with a Surrey context.

Wingspan: 20 — 26mm

Surrey Flight Period: 25 Jun (2006) — 9 Sep (2016)

The flight period of overwintering adults are not given. See the flight chart below the distribution map.

Foodplant: Carex sp. (a sedge), Deschampsia cespitosa (Tufted Hair-grass), Eriophorum vaginatum (Hare's-tail Cottongrass), Gramineae.

Foodplant accounts are from the HOSTS database — Natural History Museum, London, UK. (CC0).

Status: Common

UK BAP:

WCA:

Click here to view the full geology map of Surrey.

Verification Grade: 1 — Relatively easily identified 👌

Further Information: https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/catoptria-pinella/

Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 174

Individuals: 25

Earliest Year: 1987

Latest Year: 2025

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