35.027 Acompsia schmidtiellus (Heyden, 1848)

Status and Distribution

Very local, in southern England, south Wales and Norfolk with single, old records from Cornwall, Lincolnshire and Derbyshire.

National Status: Nationally Scarce B
Bradley & Fletcher no: 861
Photographer: © C M Manley
Location: Glamorgan

Provisional map

NBNSYS0100001410

Larva

Acompsia schmidtiellus larva: 23.v.2009, Origanum vulgare, Branscombe Mouth, Devon (Photo: © R J Heckford) Acompsia schmidtiellus larva 2015 (Photo: © S Palmer) Acompsia schmidtiellus larva Hants 2015 (Photo: © S Palmer) 

Pupa

Set Specimens

Acompsia schmidtiellus coll. 14.v.1990, em. 16.vi.1990, Origanum vulgare, Branscombe, Devon (Photo: © R J Heckford)

Foodplant and Larval Feeding Signs

Acompsia schmidtiellus spinning Portsdown Hill 2015 (Photo: © S Palmer)       

Origanum vulgare (marjoram), see plant distribution map.

In Europe also reported on Calamintha (calamint), Mentha arvensis (corn mint) and Mentha suaveolens (round-leaved mint).

Habitat

Acompsia schmidtiellus habitat Portsdown Hill 2015 (Photo: © S Palmer)  Acompsia schmidtiellus habitat Portsdown Hill 2015 (Photo: © S Palmer)

Chalk downland, grassland on limestone, railway embankments and roadside verges.

Finding the Moth

Larva: in a folded or rolled leaf which can sometimes turn scarlet in colour.

Adult: can be disturbed and swept from amongst the foodplant and comes to light.

Similar Species

A large, broad-winged gelechiid with prominent palps which, due to its bright yellow-ochreous colouration, should not be confused with any other species.

May, June
July, August

Single brooded from late June to mid-August, rarely in mid-June and late August.