Bactra (Bactra) lancealana

• Subfamily: Olethreutinae, Bactrini
• Wingspan: 11-21 mm
• Flight period: May - Sep
• Spread: Common
• Host plants: Cyperaceae, Juncaceae

Information

The Bactra lancealana is a moth of the Tortricidae family, subfamily Olethreutinae, with a wingspan of 11-21 mm.
It is distributed in almost all of Europe, missing from Iceland, Croatia and Ukraine *. In Italy it is also present in the islands. *

The Bactra lancealana is a species with variable coloring with some individuals, almost single-colored, others with a long pale stripe the front edge of the wing dark brown, still others with evident dark spots on wings mottled in ocher and brown.

Usually the front wings are pale ocher or brownish-ocher, with the costa streaked with darker ocher or tinged with brown. A spot in the discal cell at 1/3 and an angular mark beyond the middle faded to dark, sometimes forming a dark midline stripe more or less complete from base to apex. **

Gray hind wings with dark veins and light fringes. Head of light ocher color, torax and abdomen brown sprayed in ocher. **

This moth has two generations between June and October. It frequents swamps, moors, and habitat where host plants are present. Adults are easily attracted to artificial lights.

The larva is greenish or whitish in color and after hatching the egg, it moves to the stem or rhizome of the host plant, where it overwinters and where pupation takes place. ***

The larvae feed on Carex riparia, Cyperus longus, Eriophorum angustifolium, Juncus articulatus, Juncus conglomeratus, Juncus squarrosus, Schoenoplectus lacustris and Trichophorum coeritosum. ***


* Lepidoptera mundi https://lepidoptera.eu/ - Fauna Europea https://fauna-eu.org/
** Bestimmungshilfe für die in Europa nachgewiesenen Schmetterlingsarten - http://lepiforum.de/
*** Plant Parasites of Europe leafminers, galls and fungi - https://bladmineerders.nl/