UKMoths Please note that the NBN Gateway map service has been terminated as of 1 April 2017.
As soon as a replacement map service is available, distribution maps will hopefully appear here again.
In the meantime, you can get some idea of distribution from the NBN Atlas website.
35.114 BF812
Scrobipalpa instabilella
(Douglas, 1846)
Wingspan 12-14 mm.
A species of saltmarshes and other muddy habitats around the coasts of England, it is also known from North Wales, Ireland and rarely in Scotland. T
he adult is variable, sometimes showing a rufous tinge around the black dots on the forewing. The moths are on the wing during May to July.
A number of foodplants have been recorded, but sea purslane (Halimone portulacoides) seems to be one of the most frequent.
- Larva: (description: I.F. Smith.):
Foodplant: Halimione portulacoides (Sea purslane), March to May in whitish swollen mine with ejection hole for frass, or in loosely spun leaves. Locally abundant on salt marshes.
Length: 12mm final instar.
Head: Light brown mottled with mid-brown, posterior edge black, rounded black mark postero-laterally, black crescent in stemmatal area, frons edged by fine black line, clypeus white, labrum dark brown. Or, head black.
Prothoracic shield: Shiny light brown, marked blackish at posterior, translucent showing black edging on posterior of head.
Thoracic legs: Shiny black.
Body: Yellow tinted grey-green, reddish dorsal line, broader subdorsal reddish line, faint thin reddish subspiracular line.
Spiracles: Peritreme dark brown.
Pinacula: Small (larger on segment A9), slightly paler than integument with prominent black setal spot.
Setae: Transparent colourless.
Anal plate: Yellowish brown.
Prolegs: Coloured as abdomen, with dark brown crochets.
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