Species Details

ABH: 12.048

BF: 200

Family: Tineidae

Subfamily: Teichobiinae

Taxon: Psychoides filicivora

Authority: (Meyrick, 1937)

Vernacular: Common Fern Moth

Account: Local in parts of southern England and Wales, mainly on the coast, perhaps originating from ferns imported from the far east and spreading through the trade in ferns. In southern Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight, usually confined to the coast, and very rare inland. Wingspan 10-12 mm. Resembles P. verhuella

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: 10 — 12 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 17 Apr (2017) — 21 Dec (2025)

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

Foodplant: Dryopteris filix-mas (Male-fern), Filicopsida., Polystichum setiferum (Soft Shield-fern).

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

Status: Local

UK BAP:

WCA:

Click here to view the full geology map of Surrey.

Verification Grade: 2 — Care needed to identify, an image may be required 🤔
Further Information: https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/psychoides-filicivora/
Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 14

Individuals: 2

Earliest Year: 2007

Latest Year: 2025

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