Chionodes fumatella, the downland groundling, is a moth of the family Gelechiidae. It is found in almost all of Europe (except Portugal and Croatia).Fauna Europaea Outside of Europe, it is found in Turkey, the Caucasus, Mongolia and from Siberia to the Russian Far East. et al. 2010: The gelechiid fauna of the southern Ural Mountains, part II: list of recorded species with taxonomic notes (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae). Zootaxa, 2367: 1–68. Preview
The wingspan is 12–19 mm.lepiforum.de The terminal joint of palpi as long as second. Forewings brown, usually mixed with dark fuscous; usually indistinct dark fuscous spots on costa near base, at 4, and beyond middle, and in disc near base and at 4; stigmata black, often partly edged with whitish, first discal beyond plical; an indistinct pale ferruginous-tinged angulated fascia at 3/4, sometimes almost. obsolete. Hindwings light 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 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 Society
Adults have been recorded on wing from June to August.UK Moths The larvae have been reared on Lotus corniculatus.
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