Acompsia cinerella, the ash-coloured sober, is a small lepidopteran species of the twirler moth family (Gelechiidae). It is the type species of the genus Acompsia, once assigned to the subfamily Anacampsinae but generally placed in the Dichomeridinae. The species was first described by Carl Alexander Clerck in 1759.
Distribution This species can be found in most of Europe, except for Portugal and Iceland.Fauna Europaea
Habitat These moths inhabit a variety of areas, preferably with rich vegetation or bushes.Nature Spot
Description Acompsia cinerella has a wingspan of 16–19 mm. These moths have long upwardly-curved labial palps. The forewings show a brownish colour, without any marking. This species is rather similar to Helcystogramma rufescens."35.026 [B&F: 0855] Acompsia cinerella (Clerck, 1759)". Hantsmoths. Retrieved 12 July 2020. Meyrick describes it - Forewings rather light greyish-brown; stigmata sometimes faintly darker. Hindwings grey.Meyrick, E., 1895 A Handbook of British Lepidoptera MacMillan, London pdf Keys and description Heath, J., ed. 1976 The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland Vol. 4 Part 2 Langmaid, J. R., Palmer, S. M. & Young, M. R. [eds]. 2018 A Field Guide to the Smaller Moths of Great Britain and Ireland [3rd ed.]Reading, Berkshire. British Entomological and Natural History Societylepiforum.de includes images Sterling, P. and Parsons, M. 2012 Field Guide to the Micro Moths of Great Britain and Ireland Dorset British Wildlife Publishing, 2012 - 2nd edition (Bloomsbury Wildlife Guides) Piskunov, V.I., 2023 Gelechiidae; in G.S. Medvedev (ed.): Keys to the insects of the europaean part of the USSR, Vol.IV: Lepidoptera, part 2 (english translation), Oxonian Press Pvt.Ltd., New Dehli, 1987
Biology There are two generations per year, as it is a bivoltine species. Adults are on wing from May to September. The larvae feed on moss present on trunks of broad leaves trees, often at the base of the tree.Keys to the Insects of the European Part of the USSR.: Lepidoptera. Part II
Bibliography Erstbeschreibung: Clerck, C. (1759): Icones Insectorum rariorum Cum Nominibus eorum trivialibus, locisqve e C. LinnaeiArch. R. et Eqv. Aur. Syst. Nat. allegatis. Sectio Prima: [8 unpaginierte Textseiten], pl. 1-16. Holmiae. — Digitalisat der Bibliothèque nationale de France. Lectotypus-Festlegung: Robinson, G. S. & E. Schmidt Nielsen (1983): The Microlepidoptera described by Linnaeus and Clerck. — Systematic Entomology 8: 191–242.
References
External links
Lepiforum e. V. Insects of the British Isles