49.134 BF962

Cochylis roseana

(Haworth, 1811)

---

Wingspan 10 mm - 17 mm.

C. roseana flies late May - August on sites where teasel (Dipsacus fullonum) grows plentifully. It is common in southern England, but further north in Cheshire and Lancashire it is scarce and local. The pink suffusion on the forewing varies in intensity, and can be inconspicuous.

The larva lives August - May in a silk tunnel bored through the sides of several teasel seeds, on which it feeds. It has a brown head, a green prothoracic shield with a black edged anterior, light green abdomen with white mottling and an anal plate coloured as the abdomen (BTS).

Similar species
The forewings of C. flaviciliana and Falseuncaria degreyana are also suffused pink. C. flaviciliana has a lighter brown median fascia (middle cross band) on the wing. Both species lack the dark subapical line in the cilia of C. roseana.

The larvae of Endothenia gentianaeana, E. marginana, Blastobasis decolorella and B. lignea feed on teasel, but differ in appearance and habits, and are illustrated on this website.