''Scythris cicadella'', the sand owlet, is a moth of the family Scythrididae found in Europe. It was first described by Philipp Christoph Zeller in 1839.

Description

The wingspan is 9–11 mm. The forewings are deep brown. Females have numerous bluish-white scales while males are heavily dusted, giving the forewings an almost white appearance. Adults are on wing from mid-May to the end of June flying during the day visiting flowers. The larvae feed on annual knawel (''

Scleranthus annuus ''Scleranthus annuus'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae known by the common names German knotweed and annual knawel. It is native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and it is known throughout the rest of the temperate ...

'') and perennial knawel (''

Scleranthus perennis ''Scleranthus perennis'', the perennial knawel, is a perennial herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals ...

''). Other foodplants are likely as knawel is not found in Sweden; the likely foodplant is '' Scleranthus cicadella''. Larvae can be found in May and June attached to the foodplant, living in a long silken gallery made of sand and debris.

Distribution

''S. cicadella'' is found in central and south-western Europe in areas of dry or sandy soil. Has been found in small numbers in parts of south-eastern England in the past.

References

cicadella Moths described in 1839 Moths of Europe Taxa named by Philipp Christoph Zeller {{Scythrididae-stub