Hantsmoths

Local on heathland and in open woodland throughout much of Britain; rare in Ireland. In Hampshire widespread wherever Broom is found, but there have been no recent records from the Isle of Wight. Wingspan 15-21 mm. Most likely to be confused with A. nanatella, which see for differences; A. angelicella, which has a similarly shaped fuscous discal blotch, but it incorporates a black dot, and the forewing is usually orange-coloured; and A. kuznetzovi, in which the hindwing is dark grey, the cloudy fuscous blotch in the forewing is at one-half and never extended toward tornus, and there is a black discal dot at three-fifths which is absent in A. assimilella (MBGBI Vol 4 part 1). Larva feeds within stems of Broom, subsequently living between spun stems.