Hantsmoths

Common in gardens and woodland throughout the British Isles, as far north as Shetland. Widespread and common in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight, where the distribution of records show continuous presence from April to September with only a small trough in June, indicating protracted emergence of the first generation. Wingspan 10-13 mm. Imago seldom encountered at light, and more likely to be recorded in the larval stage, when mines are relatively easy to find where they are present. Beware confusion with the far rarer C. cuculipennella. Larva mines leaves of Privet (both wild and cultivated), Ash and Lilac, subsequently living gregariously within a leaf-roll, causing sufficient damage to be a serious pest in some areas, over-wintering as a pupa.