Athrips mouffetella

Distinguished from similar Athrips species by the specific arrangement of five black spots on the forewing: two stigmata with the first discal positioned beyond the plical, plus an additional dot obliquely beneath and before the second discal. The rosy-tinged, silvery grey forewing coloration and small size (forewing 7–8.5 mm) help separate it from larger or differently patterned congeners. Larvae are identified by dark purplish-black or grey coloration with white spots behind the head and along the body side, brighter on the thorax and faded on subsequent segments.

Small moth with forewing length 7–8.5 mm and wingspan approximately 15 mm. Forewings are light ashy brown with paler, faintly rosy-tinged irroration and silvery grey overall appearance. Five black spots present: two minute dots near the base, two stigmata (first discal beyond the plical), and one dot obliquely beneath and before the second discal. Additional minute black dots occur on the termen. Hindwings are grey. Larva is blackish-grey with a whitish dorsal line on incisions between segments 2 and 4; indistinct whitish spiracular line, clearer anteriorly; head and plate of segment 2 black.

Found in woodland edges, hedgerows, and gardens where host plants (Lonicera species and Symphoricarpos albus) occur. Common but local in England and Wales; collection records include deciduous woodland such as Wytham Woods, Oxfordshire.

Native range extends from central and northern Europe across the Ural Mountains to Siberia and the Russian Far East. Present throughout Europe excluding the Iberian Peninsula; isolated records extend to far eastern Asia. Introduced to North America (accidental introduction). In the British Isles, common but local in England and Wales with a single record from Scotland.

Single-brooded (univoltine). Adults fly from June to August, with some records extending to early September depending on location. Larval stage occurs prior to adult emergence.

Larvae feed on terminal leaves of honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum, Lonicera xylosteum, Lonicera caprifolium) and snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus). Adult feeding habits not documented.

• Lonicera periclymenum - larval food plantcommon honeysuckle
• Lonicera xylosteum - larval food plantfly honeysuckle
• Lonicera caprifolium - larval food plantItalian woodbine
• Symphoricarpos albus - larval food plantcommon snowberry

Single generation per year. Larvae feed on host plant leaves, spinning silken webs on terminal foliage. Pupation presumably occurs in the larval web or nearby detritus, though pupal details are not explicitly documented. Adults emerge June to early September.

Adults are readily attracted to light. Larvae spin silken webs on terminal leaves of host plants while feeding. Nocturnal flight activity during summer months.

Herbivore; larvae function as folivores on Caprifoliaceae, potentially contributing to localized defoliation of host shrubs. No other ecosystem roles documented.

Genome sequenced as part of the Darwin Tree of Life Project (Wellcome Sanger Institute), providing a 869.7 Mb assembly with 31 chromosomal pseudomolecules and 22,889 protein-coding genes. Occasionally encountered by moth enthusiasts at light traps. Not considered an agricultural or forestry pest.

• Other Athrips speciesSimilar size and general appearance, but distinguished by forewing spot pattern and arrangement of stigmata relative to plical
• Other Gelechiidae with spotted forewingsA. mouffetella specifically associated with honeysuckle and snowberry hosts; larval host plant and larval coloration (dark with white spots) provide additional separation

• Gelechiidae
• microlepidoptera
• univoltine
• phototactic
• Linnaeus 1758
• Palearctic
• introduced North America

• BugGuide
• Wikipedia
• GBIF taxonomy match
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy
• Catalogue of Life
• The genome sequence of the Dotted Grey Groundling, Athrips mouffetella (Linnaeus, 1758).