Chrysoteuchia culmella

• Subfamily: Crambinae
• Wingspan: 18-22 mm
• Flight period: May - Aug
• Spread: Common
• Host plants: Poaceae

Information

The Chrysoteuchia culmella also known as Garden Grass-veneer is a moth of the Crambidae family, subfamily Crambinae, with a wingspan of 18 - 22 mm.
In Europe it is visible almost everywhere, except in Ukraine. Data for some Baltic countries and the Balkan Peninsula are missing. In Italy there are also in the islands. *

The front wing has a cream background color, with a series of not well-defined longitudinal lines of brown color. Recognizable by a postmedian silver line in the shape of a "V" which is always visible, by one or two transversal angled and metallic lines and by the golden fringe at the front wings. Near the edge some dark spots may be visible in correspondence with the wing grain. The hind wings are brown, opaque, also fringed.
The labial palps have a color that varies from dirty white to dull yellow; the head and the thorax and the abdomen have the same coloration of the palps.

It is a univoltine species and the adults are visible in flight from May to August. During the day it rests in the lower part of the grass stalks. Mainly nocturnal, it is easily attracted to artificial light. It is a common species in prairies, rough lawns and grassy gardens.
The larva, which lives in a silk tube, feeds on the roots of various herbs or at the base of the stems, causing sufficient damage to be considered a parasite of some importance if present in large numbers.

The larvae feed on the roots of Poaceae, such as Festuca and Poa. *


* Lepidoptera mundi https://lepidoptera.eu/ - Fauna Europea https://fauna-eu.org/