Hellinsia lienigianus

Description

Hellinsia lienigianus is a moth of the family Pterophoridae that is found in the Palearctic ecozone (from Europe to Russia, Korea, China and Japan), India, south-east Asia, Africa and Queensland in Australia. It inhabits coastal areas, dry pastures and waste ground. The wingspan is 17–21 millimetres (0.67–0.83 in). Adults are on wing in July in Great Britain. The larvae vary from green to brown, and have sparse tufts of white hair along each side. They feed on various Asteraceae species, including Artemisia vulgaris, Artemisia maritima, Artemisia princeps, Chrysanthemum morifolium, Tanacetum vulgare, Xanthium strumarium, Pluchea purpurascens, Leucanthemum vulgare and Aspilia latifolia. They form a silken tent-shaped shelter on a leaf, within which it feeds before moving onto another leaf.