Agriphila inquinatella

Description

The name Agriphila inquinatella has been misapplied to some related species in the past; see below for details. Agriphila inquinatella is a small moth species of the family Crambidae. It is found in Europe, around the Caucasus area to Turkestan, and in the Near East to Jordan. Three subspecies are accepted today: - Agriphila inquinatella inquinatella (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) – most of the range - Agriphila inquinatella nevadensis (Caradja, 1910) – Sierra Nevada and presumably elsewhere in Spain - Agriphila inquinatella elbursella (Zerny, 1939) – Alborz mountains and presumably elsewhere in the Caucasus region The adult moths fly between June to September, depending on the location. Their wingspan is 23–29 mm. The caterpillars feed mainly on Poaceae grasses, such as meadow-grass species (Poa) or sheep's fescue (Festuca ovina). They can be found under pebbles adjacent to their food plants, suggesting that they feed on the plants' roots. A more unusual food plant is the Pottiales moss Tortula muralis.