Monochroa niphognatha | Gelechiid Recording Scheme

Status and Distribution

Rare, known with regularity from only one site in Kent where it has been reported since 1984. Searches for larvae at this site from 2022-2025 have produced small numbers of larvae each year. One-off reports of single adults have been received from Devon (2002), Hampshire (2009), Dorset (2017) and East Sussex (2019), suggesting it may be under-recorded as a breeding species (Beavan and Heckford, 2022).

National Status: pRDB 1

Bradley & Fletcher no: 740a

Photographer: © P Clark

Location: East Sussex

Provisional map

NHMSYS0000503278

Imago

Larva

Pupa

Set Specimens

Foodplant and Larval Feeding Signs

Persicaria amphibia (Amphibious Bistort), see plant distribution map.

Feeds in upper parts of the stem, usually between nodes. Small holes in the stem near the leaf nodes, sometimes with a small build up of frass, indicate the presence of a larva. The larvae of a weevil species make similar holes.

Habitat

In England found regularly in a single extensive freshwater reed-bed. The other records are associated with a rough coastal meadow and mixed reed-bed, grassland and close to a large disused clay quarry with pools. In Denmark it is associated with damp meadows.

Finding the Moth

Larva: look for small holes in the stem of the foodplant in September, sometimes extruded frass being visible which may indicate the presence of a larva. Distinctively red-striped larva needs to be seen to exclude the possibility of a weevil species, the larva of which feeds in the stem of this plant.

Adult: sweeping areas of the foodplant may be worthwhile. It comes readily to light.

Similar Species

Similar to, but larger than, Monochroa suffusella.

June, July

Single brooded from mid-June to July.

Earliest: 20th June 1995 (VC15)

Latest: 8th July 1984 (VC15)

There is only very limited date information available.

35.078 Monochroa niphognatha (Gozmány, 1953)