Little Cosmet
Common NameLittle Cosmet
Scientific NameCosmopterix pulchrimella
FamilyCosmopterigidae
SubfamilyCosmopteriginae
Wingspan (mm)8
Wing Patternspotted
Primary Colorsblack, orange, white
HabitatGardens, parks, disturbed areas, woodlands where host plants are present
Geographic RangeEurope, North Africa, Asia, introduced to North America
Host PlantsParietaria officinalis, Humulus lupulus, Cannabis sativa, Urtica dioica
Flight PeriodMay to October (multiple generations)
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesLarvae are leaf miners, creating blotch mines on the leaves of their host plants. Pupation typically occurs within the mine or in a silken cocoon on the leaf surface.
Identification TipsDistinguished by its minute size, the striking pattern of orange-yellow spots and a prominent white band on the dark forewings, and the characteristic tuft of scales at the end of the abdomen.
Description
A very small, slender moth with dark, almost black forewings adorned with bright orange-yellow spots and a distinctive white transverse band near the apex. The hindwings are narrow and dark.
