Hantsmoths

Local on moorland and heathland, and in open woodland. Widespread, with a discontinuous distribution which may be due to under-recording; found in southern Britain from Kent to Glamorgan and Herefordshire, in Cumbria and in western and northern Scotland; rare in Ireland, being recorded only from Cos Wicklow, Clare and Galway. First recorded in Hampshire at Farnborough in 1995, despite its presence being mapped in vice-counties 10 and 11 in MBGBI Vol 2 (1985), and still rarely encountered. Not recorded from the Isle of Wight to date. Wingspan 11-14 mm. Similar to C. falconipennella, which lacks the dark spots on the costa and fold and has the terminal cilia concolorous with the wing and the cilial lines distinct (MBGBI Vol 2). Larva mines and folds leaves of Birch, subsequently living within a leaf-fold.