''Chionodes distinctella'', the eastern groundling, is a
moth of the family
Gelechiidae. It is found in almost all of Europe (except
Croatia), as well as most of
Russia,
Kazakhstan,
Central Asia and
North Africa. The habitat consists of dry, rocky heath and meadows and the verges and rough pastures.
The
wingspan is 15–19 mm. The terminal joint of palpi is as long as second. Forewings are brown, usually mixed with dark fuscous; usually indistinct dark fuscous spots on costa near base, at 1/4, and beyond middle, and in disc near base and at 1/4; stigmata black, often partly edged with whitish, first discal beyond plical; an indistinct pale ferruginous-tinged angulated fascia at 3/4, sometimes almost obsolete. Hindwings over 1, light grey.
Adults have been recorded on wing from early June to October in two generations per year in western Europe.
The larvae feed within the roots of ''
Genista'' and ''
Thymus'' species, as well as ''
Artemisia campestris
''Artemisia campestris'' is a common and widespread species of plants in the sunflower family, Asteraceae. It is native to a wide region of Eurasia and North America. Common names include field wormwood, beach wormwood, northern wormwood, Breckl ...
''.
References
Moths described in 1839
Chionodes
Moths of Europe
Moths of Asia
Moths of Africa
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