Blastobasidae
Blastobasis adustella
BLASTOBASIS adustella Walsingham,1894
Blastobasis adustella
BLASTOBASIS adustella Walsingham,1894
Life Cycle Guide
Description
Vernacular Name: Dingy Dowd
Wingspan: 13 - 19mm
Worldwide Distribution: Madeira, Australia - New South Wales, introduced into Great Britain
UK Distribution: Common & widespread throughout much of Great Britain
UK Conservation Status -
Habitat: Woodland : Gardens : Scrub : Parks
Similar Species -
Overwinters as: Larva
Observations: The moth has an elongated forewing which is cream to buff,variably marked in a dark brown. There is an oblique streak from the dorsum at about a quarter from the base and a terminal line which is made up of a series of brown spots.
The moth which originates from Madeira like the majority of its congeners is fully naturalised in this country, although how it was introduced is still a mystery.
The similar species blastobasis vittata (Wollaston, 1858) has only ever been recorded in Hampshire and Sussex and is generally smaller with markings being obscure. It is small and usually orangey brown but genitalia examination is the only sure way to differentiate the two species.
The moth is attracted to light and can be found at the moth trap,usually in small numbers.
Wingspan: 13 - 19mm
Worldwide Distribution: Madeira, Australia - New South Wales, introduced into Great Britain
UK Distribution: Common & widespread throughout much of Great Britain
UK Conservation Status -
- Common = > 300 10km squares
- Blastobasis adustella Walsingham , 1894
- Oecophora phycidella Zeller, 1839
- Not Specified
Habitat: Woodland : Gardens : Scrub : Parks
Similar Species -
- Blasobasis vittata (Wollaston, 1858)
Overwinters as: Larva
Observations: The moth has an elongated forewing which is cream to buff,variably marked in a dark brown. There is an oblique streak from the dorsum at about a quarter from the base and a terminal line which is made up of a series of brown spots.
The moth which originates from Madeira like the majority of its congeners is fully naturalised in this country, although how it was introduced is still a mystery.
The similar species blastobasis vittata (Wollaston, 1858) has only ever been recorded in Hampshire and Sussex and is generally smaller with markings being obscure. It is small and usually orangey brown but genitalia examination is the only sure way to differentiate the two species.
The moth is attracted to light and can be found at the moth trap,usually in small numbers.
Photo Gallery
Larva
Larval Food Plants Worldwide
The larva of this species are detritophagous feeding on vegetable matter,spongy Oak galls,
dead Juniper leaves, empty Gorse seed pods,refuse and detritus.
The larva of this species are detritophagous feeding on vegetable matter,spongy Oak galls,
dead Juniper leaves, empty Gorse seed pods,refuse and detritus.
Note - Plants hyperlinked in red below take the visitor to the relevant plant page on"Plants for a Future" website
where further information like photos,physical
characteristics,habitats,edible uses,medicinal
uses,cultivation,propagation,range,height etc. are clearly listed.
- Plant Families - in bold red below takes the visitor to the relevant "Lepi-plants" page where other butterflies & moths using the plants below are listed.
- Rosaceae - Rose Family
- Malus pumila - Paradise Apple
Taxonomy
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Kingdom:
Subkingdom: Phylum: Subphylum Class: Order: Superfamily: Family: Genus: Accepted Species Name: Type Species - BLASTOBASIS: Original Species Name: Species Names: Literary Ref: Type Locality: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Gelechioidea Blastobasidae BLASTOBASIS Zeller, 1855 Blastobasis adustella Walsingham, 1894 - Oecophora phycidella Zeller, 1839 - BLASTOBASIS adustella Walsingham, 1894 = Blastobasis linea var. adustella Walsingham, 1894 auct. = Blastobasis sarcophaga Meyrick, 1902 = Blastobasis xanthographella Rebel, 1940 - Transactions of the Entomological Society of London by Royal Entomological Society of London p.550, - Not specified |