Carpatolechia fugitivella

Distinguished from similar gelechiid moths by the combination of: terminal palp segment longer than second; forewing pattern with costal spots, fold streak (often broken), paired discal dots at 2/3, and pale angulated fascia at 3/4; presence of raised scale patches on forewings that may be whitish or black. The specific association with elm (Ulmus) as a primary host, combined with the characteristic wing pattern, aids identification.

Small moth with wingspan 11–15 mm. Head whitish, grey sprinkled. Terminal joint of labial palpi longer than second segment. Forewings grey, irrorated with blackish, with suffused blackish spots on costa near base and before and beyond middle; blackish streak along fold, sometimes interrupted into two or three spots; two black dots transversely placed in disc at 2/3; pale angulated fascia at 3/4 sometimes indicated by darker anterior suffusion. Hindwings grey. Forewing length 6–7.5 mm with greyish-brown coloration and black speckling; up to three patches of raised scales present, which can appear whitish or black. Larva light green, above reddish-tinged with black dots; head and plate of segment 2 light brown.

Woodland, parks, gardens, and hedgerows—habitats where host trees occur.

Almost all of Europe (except Portugal, Croatia, Bulgaria); Turkey; Caucasus; Mongolia; southern Siberia; Russian Far East; Korea. North America: Canada (Ontario, Quebec). In the British Isles, local in England and Wales, less common in Scotland and Ireland.

Adults fly from June to September. Eggs laid on host plants are thought to overwinter, with larvae hatching the following spring.

• Ulmus - primary hostincluding Ulmus glabra (wych elm)
• Quercus - host
• Corylus - host
• Prunus avium - host
• Pyracantha coccinea - host
• Acer - host
• Tilia - host
• Fraxinus - host

Eggs laid on host plants (primarily elm) overwinter and hatch the following spring. Larvae feed in folded leaves or leaf-spinnings. Pupation occurs on the bark of the host tree. Adults emerge and fly from June to early September.

Adults are attracted to light.

Minor interest as a subject of genomic study; genome sequenced (493.1 Mb, 30 chromosomal pseudomolecules, 12,721 protein-coding genes). Not considered a significant pest.

• Other Carpatolechia speciesSimilar size and general gelechiid morphology; distinguished by specific forewing pattern elements (costal spots, fold streak, discal dots, pale fascia) and host associations
• Other Gelechiidae with grey forewings and dark markingsRequire careful examination of palp proportions and precise wing pattern details for separation

• genome-sequenced
• light-attracted
• polyphagous-larva
• temperate-distribution

• BugGuide
• Wikipedia
• GBIF taxonomy match
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy
• Catalogue of Life
• The genome sequence of the Elm Groundling moth, Carpatolechia fugitivella (Zeller, 1839).