Long-legged Tabby
Common NameLong-legged Tabby
Scientific NameSynaphe punctalis
FamilyPyralidae
SubfamilyPyralinae
Wingspan (mm)24
Wing Patternstriped
Primary Colorsbrown, orange
HabitatDry grasslands, heathland, open woodland, often on calcareous soils
Geographic RangeEurope, North Africa, parts of Asia
Host Plantsmosses, lichens
Flight PeriodJune to September
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesLarvae feed on mosses and lichens, particularly those growing on rocks and walls. They overwinter as larvae and pupate in the spring.
Identification TipsKey identification features include its prominent snout-like labial palps, the reddish-brown forewings with two wavy dark lines, and its habit of resting with wings folded flat.
Description
A small to medium-sized moth with reddish-brown to orange-brown forewings marked by two darker, wavy transverse lines. It has distinctive long, upturned labial palps resembling a snout.
