UKMoths 
35.109 BF822
Scrobipalpa acuminatella
(Sircom, 1850)
Wingspan 10-14 mm.
Widely distributed across much of the British Isles, this species occupies rough and open ground where thistles abound.
The larvae mine the leaves of various thistles (Carduus and Cirsium), forming a pale, sometimes slightly inflated blotch.
Generally there are two generations, with adults on the wing in April to June and again in July to September.
- Larva: (description Ian F. Smith):
Foodplant: June-July and Sept.-Oct. in irregular brown or whitish leaf mine on Cirsium, Carduus and, possibly, Sonchus asper.
Intermediate instar
Length: 8 mm
Head: Shiny brown. Posterior strongly edged with pitchy black line, expanding into a black postero-lateral band which extends forward as a grey-black band to include the stemmatal area. Frons thinly outlined pitchy brown.
Prothoracic shield: Shiny transparent, tinted light brown. Black posterior edge of head clearly visible. Divided by thin paler medial line. Dorsally darker brown. Large pitchy black postero- lateral area.
Thoracic legs: Concolorous coxa with black basal horseshoe collar on inside. Femur black. Tibia and tarsus greyish brown.
Body: Olive-brown. Paler ventrally. Grey dorsally when the gut is full.
Spiracles: Small, black peritreme.
Pinacula: Black or dark grey, largest on segment A9.
Setae: Transparent colourless.
Anal plate: Shiny transparent concolorous, but if frass in A10, it shows black. Faint grey shading on cuticle strongest at posterior.
Prolegs: Base greenish white translucent with grey-black ring. Planta transparent whitish. Crochets dark grey.
Final instar
Length: 10 mm described.
Head: Black.
Prothoracic shield: Pitchy black. Divided by thin yellowish white medial line.
Thoracic legs: Concolorous coxa with black basal horseshoe collar on inside. Femur black. Tibia and tarsus greyish brown.
Body: Each segment has a bright red-pink anterior and yellowish posterior. Red-pink is less intense ventrally.
Spiracles: Small, black peritreme.
Pinacula: Black or dark grey, largest on segment A9.
Setae: Transparent colourless.
Anal plate: Blackish.
Prolegs: Light brown. Crochets dark grey.
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