62.043 BF1464

Gymnancyla canella

([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)

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Wingspan c. 23 mm.

A very local species, occurring on the sandy coastlines of south and south-east England.

The adults resemble Phycitodes species, but have longer labial palps which project forward instead of upward. The typical flight period is July and August.

The larvae feed on prickly saltwort (Salsola kali), and sometimes orache (Atriplex). When young, the larvae feed internally in the stems or shoots, but later can be found feeding externally from a silken web containing trapped grains of sand.