62.023 : 1442 : 5767
Pyralidae : Phycitinae

Pempelia palumbella

PEMPELIA palumbella ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
Picture
Kind permission - © Tim Norriss
Life Cycle Guide-Imago Only
Picture
Description
Vernacular Name: Heather Knot-horn
Wingspan: 20-23mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe
UK Distribution: Locally common in England and Wales,northwards towards Scotland
UK Conservation Status -
  • Common = >300 10km Squares
European Conservation Status -
  • Least Concern
Origieanal Species Name -
  • Tinea palumbella ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
Type Species - Pempelia
  • Tinea palumbella ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
Type Locality -
  • Austria-near Vienna
Flight Period: June to September
Habitat: Heathland : Downland : Deciduous woodland
Similar Species:
  • None
Larva: Larva feed on low growing plants like Common Heather
Pupa: June-July Pupates in silk tube underneath larval food plant
Overwinters as: Larva
Observations: The moth is greyish white at the costa changing across the wing to the dorsum in a  greyish brown background colour.
The antemedial line is reddish brown edged with a black line and kinks  back towards the base at the costa.
The subterminal line which is black also kinks close to the costa but this time towards the terminal area.Behind this cross-line is a suffusion in reddish brown which melts into the greyish white at the terminal cross line.
Behind the head is a small tuft in black which helps define this species.

The moth can be disturbed from the Heather during the day and flies at dusk and is attracted to light.


Photo Gallery
Larval Food Plants
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.
Larval Food Plants
Taxonomy
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Type Species - PEMPELIA:

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Type Locality:
Animalia
Eumetozoa
Arthropoda
Hexapoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Pyraloidea
Pyralidae
Phycitinae
Phycitini
PEMPELIA Hübner [1825]
Pempelia palumbella ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
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Tinea palumbella ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
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TINEA palumbella ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
= Tinea palumbella ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
= Tinea contubernella Hübner, 1796
= Homoeosoma cinerea Humphreys & Westwood, 1841
= Salebria palumbella ragonoti Turati, 1923
= Salebria palumbella liviella Zerny, 1927
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PEMPELIA Hübner 1825
= Hoeneia Caradja 1938
= Salebria Zeller 1846
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Ankündung eines systematischen Werkes von den Schmetterlingen der Wienergegend : Title Page : p.138 - n.15
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Austria-near Vienna