Hantsmoths

Endangered (proposed as a future Red Data Book species) in coastal grassland and on clifftops in Cornwall. On 1 September 1949 a specimen was taken at Boscastle, Cornwall, and a further one was taken there on 6 September 1981; larvae were found in the same locality on 3 June 1982 and subsequently the species was identified; since then it has been found in several coastal localities in west Cornwall (MBGBI Vol 4 part 1). There are also a few old records from Somerset and Dorset. Unlikely to be recorded in Hampshire or on the Isle of Wight. Wingspan 15-20 mm. The most likely confusion species are A. nanatella and A. assimilella, which see for differences, and A. carduella, which has a shorter, more pink-tinged forewing lacking the tornal brown mark, and a paler hindwing (MBGBI Vol 4 part 1). Larva mines leaves of Saw-wort, subsequently living within a silken web.