Spuleria flavicaput

Wingspan around 13 mm. This charcoal-grey species has a distinct yellow head, giving rise to its scientific name flavicaput. There are two sets of raised scale-tufts on the forewings, which can sometimes be hard to see.

Around hedges containing the larval foodplant, Hawthorn.

The moths are diurnal and fly during the mornings in May and June.

The larvae feed from about August to October by mining into the twigs of the larval foodplant, Hawthorn but are difficult to detect except for the existence of an exit hole close to a fork.

Locally distributed over much of England and Wales, into southern Scotland and parts of Ireland. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.

It is an uncommon species in Leicestershire and Rutland. L&R Moth Group status = D (rare or rarely recorded)