Chionodes distinctella, the eastern groundling, is a moth of the family Gelechiidae. It is found in almost all of Europe (except Croatia),Fauna Europaea as well as most of Russia, Kazakhstan, Central Asia and North Africa. et al. 2010: The gelechiid fauna of the southern Ural Mountains, part II: list of recorded species with taxonomic notes (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae). Zootaxa, 2367: 1–68. Preview The habitat consists of dry, rocky heath and meadows and the verges and rough pastures.
The wingspan is 15–19 mm. The terminal joint of palpi is as long as second. Forewings are brown, usually mixed with dark fuscous; usually indistinct dark fuscous spots on costa near base, at 1/4, and beyond middle, and in disc near base and at 1/4; stigmata black, often partly edged with whitish, first discal beyond plical; an indistinct pale ferruginous-tinged angulated fascia at 3/4, sometimes almost obsolete. Hindwings over 1, light grey.Meyrick, E., 1895 A Handbook of British Lepidoptera MacMillan, London pdf Keys and descriptionHeath, J., ed. 1976 The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland Vol. 4 Part 2Langmaid, J. R., Palmer, S. M. & Young, M. R. [eds]. 2018 A Field Guide to the Smaller Moths of Great Britain and Ireland [3rd ed.]Reading, Berkshire. British Entomological and Natural History Societylepiforum.de includes images
Adults have been recorded on wing from early June to October in two generations per year in western Europe.
The larvae feed within the rootsHants Moths of Genista and Thymus species, as well as Artemisia campestris.
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