Caryocolum fraternella is a moth of the family Gelechiidae. It is found in Ireland, Great Britain, Fennoscandia, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Spain, Latvia, Estonia and Ukraine.
The wingspan is 10–13 mm. The head is reddish-fuscous, whitish-mixed. Terminal joint of palpi as long as second. Forewings are reddish-brown, somewhat whitish-sprinkled, edges blackish -mixed; black basal and subbasal spots in middle stigmata black, two anterior confluent with a dark black-mixed oblique bar from costa, second discal connected with a blackish tornal spot; a white tornal spot following this, and another on costa slightly beyond it. Hindwings 1, grey. The larva dull greenish-brown, segmental incisions paler; dots black; head and plate of 2 black. Meyrick, E., 1895 A Handbook of British Lepidoptera MacMillan, London pdf Keys and descriptionHeath, J., ed. 1976 The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland Vol. 4 Part 2Langmaid, 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
Adults are on wing from July to August.UKmoths
The larvae feed on Stellaria species (including Stellaria uliginosa and Stellaria graminea) and Cerastium fontanum. They feed in the terminal shoots of their host plant.
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