Species Details

ABH: 35.031

BF: 868

Family: Gelechiidae

Subfamily: Dichomeridinae

Taxon: Helcystogramma rufescens

Authority: (Haworth, 1828)

Vernacular: Common Zebra Moth

Account: Common in rough pastures, unimproved grassland, downland and woodland rides throughout much of the British Isles, except northern Scotland and northern Ireland. Fairly well distributed in Hampshire, but very rarely recorded on the Isle of Wight. Wingspan 14-18 mm. The ochreous coloration of the forewing veins, and the whitish hindwing (in female only) distinguish from fresh examples of the rare and endangered H. lutatella, however, a worn, pale, female H. lutatella could be overlooked as H. rufescens (MBGBI Vol 4 part 2). Larva feeds within leaves of various grasses, including False Oat-grass, Cock's-foot, False-brome, Tor-grass, Tall Fescue and Meadow-grass.

Accounts provided by and used with the kind permission of Mike Wall, Hampshire County Moth Recorder. These will in due course be gradually replaced with species accounts with a Surrey context.

Wingspan: 14 — 18 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 25 Apr (2025) — 27 Sep (1994)

The flight period of overwintering adults are not given. See the flight chart below the distribution map.

Foodplant: Arrhenatherum sp., Gramineae., Poa sp.

Foodplant accounts are from the HOSTS database — Natural History Museum, London, UK. (CC0).

Status: Common

UK BAP:

WCA:

Click here to view the full geology map of Surrey.

Verification Grade: 2 — Care needed to identify 🤔
Further Information: https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/helcystogramma-rufescens/
Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 75

Individuals: 7

Earliest Year: 1994

Latest Year: 2025

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