Species Details

ABH: 49.133

BF: 968

Family: Tortricidae

Subfamily: Tortricinae

Taxon: Thyraylia nana

Authority: (Haworth, 1811)

Vernacular: Birch Straw

Account: Common in birch woodland and on heathland throughout much of Britain. Frequent in Hampshire, but only one old record from the Isle of Wight. Wingspan 9-12 mm. A distinctive species, at once recognised by its small size and characteristic grey and ochreous general coloration, and the broad median fascia of the forewing with its outer margin outward-oblique from the costa and the inner margin diffuse and often confluent with the ill-defined basal fasciae [Bradley]. Larva feeds within catkins of Downy Birch and Silver Birch, over-wintering in a cocoon.

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: 9 — 12 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 28 Apr (2011) — 26 Jun (2021)

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

Foodplant:

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/thyraylia-nana/
Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 38

Individuals: 11

Earliest Year: 2003

Latest Year: 2022

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