Gelechia hippophaella

Description

The sea buckthorn moth (Gelechia hippophaella) is a moth of the Gelechiidae family. It is found from Fennoscandia to the Pyrenees, Italy and Romania and from Great Britain to Ukraine. The wingspan is 17–21 mm. Adults are on wing from July to September. The larvae feed on Hippophae rhamnoides. They have been recorded mining the leaves of their host plant. The mine has the form of an irregular corridor or blotch. After some time the larvae live free among spun leaves. Other authors only record it spinning leaves and buds. Larvae can be found in June and July. They are greyish green with a light brown head. Last instar larvae are tinged with pink.