scarce smudge
Common Namescarce smudge
Scientific NamePancalia nodosella
FamilyCosmopterigidae
SubfamilyCosmopteriginae
Wingspan (mm)11
Wing Patterncryptic
Primary Colorswhite, grey, brown, black
HabitatDry grasslands, chalk downland, open woodland, heathland
Geographic RangeEurope
Host Plantsviolets (Viola spp.)
Flight PeriodMay to July
Flight Styledarting
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesLarvae feed internally on the stems and roots of violets, pupating in a cocoon near the host plant.
Identification TipsDistinguished by its small size, the prominent raised tufts of dark scales on the forewings, and the overall mottled white, grey, and dark brown coloration.
Description
A small, cryptically colored moth with forewings predominantly white and grey, marked with dark brown and black smudges, and distinctive raised tufts of dark scales on the dorsal surface.
