Crambus lathoniellus

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

Information

The Crambus lathoniellus also called Hook-streak Grass-veneer is a moth of the Crambidae family, subfamily Crambinae, with a wingspan of 18-22 mm.
In Europe it is visible practically everywhere except in Ukraine. In Italy it is present in Sardinia but not in Sicily. *

It features a thick white line that crosses the wing in the middle parallel to the costa. The course of the line is irregular with a slight subdivision around the middle of the wing, only to be interrupted by a fine brown stripe in the post discal region. and finally terminate in the sub-marginal region.
A double brown and silver line starts from the inner corner, runs parallel to the margin, to bend to about half of the wing, with a straight course towards the post discal region. The margin is fringed, with a slight dark border, and a series of dark spots near the inner corner.
The rear wing is gray-brown, silky, also fringed. The palps are quite long and have a brown color on the side and white on the top.

It is one of the first belonging to the Crambidae family that can be encountered during the year. Univoltine species, it frequents heaths, forests, gardens and meadows. Dimorphism is given by the color which is lighter in females. **
It overwinters in the larva stage. In suitable habitats, it flies naturally during the night, during the day only if disturbed.

The larvae feed on the roots of Poaceae.


* Lepidoptera mundi https://lepidoptera.eu/ - Fauna Europea https://fauna-eu.org/
** Online guide to the moths of Great Britain and Ireland - https://ukmoths.org.uk/