Mesophleps silacella

Mesophleps silacella
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Gelechiidae
Genus:	Mesophleps
Species:	M. silacella
Binomial name
	Mesophleps silacella; (Hübner, 1796)
Synonyms
	Tinea silacella Hübner, 1796; Tinea pyropella Hübner, 1793 (preocc. [Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775); Recurvaria silacea Haworth, 1828; Mesophleps pudicellus var. apicellus Caradja, 1920; Mesophleps silacellus calaritanus Amsel, 1939; Tinea luteella Hübner, 1796;

Mesophleps silacella, the straw crest, is a moth of the family Gelechiidae. It is found in Europe, Turkey and Algeria.

The wingspan is 9–17 mm. The forewings are pale yellow, the distal half of the costa with brown and sometimes with a black edge. Adults have been recorded on wing in June.

The larvae feed on Helianthemum species (including Helianthemum nummularium and Helianthemum tuberosum) and Fumana procumbens.^[1] The larvae have been described as pale reddish with a honey yellow head. They have been recorded in April, May, June and August.

References

^ Li, H.-h. & K. Sattler, 2012: A taxonomic revision of the genus Mesophleps Hübner, 1825 (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae). Zootaxa 3373: 1-82.

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[1] Li, H.-h. & K. Sattler, 2012: A taxonomic revision of the genus Mesophleps Hübner, 1825 (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae). Zootaxa 3373: 1-82.

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