Phycitodes lacteella

• Subfamily: Phycitinae, Phycitini
• Wingspan: 17-19 mm
• Flight period: Jul - Sep (Data not certain)
• Spread: Uncommon
• Host plants: Unknown

Information

The Phycitodes lacteella is a moth of the Pyralidae family, with a wingspan of 17-19 mm.
It is widespread throughout Europe It is found in most of Europe with the exception of Ireland, Great Britain, Norway, Benelux, Switzerland, Baltic region, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia and Ukraine. *
Its range extends to Algeria, Morocco and Turkey. *** In Italy it is also present in the islands. *

Moth very similar to other species of the Phlicitinae subfamily, the Phycitodes lacteella has front wings with white or white / yellowish background (lighter than the congeners).
Four dark points form a rectangle with one of the corners on the inner apex and the corner opposite the center of the wing. There are other brown-blackish spots and streaks that condense near the edge to form a single darker band. The edges are fringed with in the background color with some dark points at the base.

The hind wings are translucent white at times with darker shades towards the external margin.

The rear wing is yellowish white with brown dusting along the veins and on the edge.
Head and thorax are in the background color of the front wings, the abdomen is slightly darker. **

Very little is known about the ethology of this moth, including the larval stage whose morphology is still unknown.
From personal observations I can say that adults are visible from mid-July to early September, and frequent damp meadows and roadside.

Among the unknown information there are also host plants.


* Lepidoptera mundi https://lepidoptera.eu/ - Fauna Europea https://fauna-eu.org/
** Bestimmungshilfe für die in Europa nachgewiesenen Schmetterlingsarten - http://lepiforum.de/ -
*** Nuss, M.; et al. (2003–2012)