35.109 Scrobipalpa acuminatella (Sircom, 1850)

The rather elongate, pointed forewing and generally uniform dark brown through reddish brown to greyish brown colouration, occasionally with indistinct blackish to reddish brown streaking and black speckling around the wing tip, are usually indicative of this rather variable species.  The female is usually smaller and paler than the male. In the Highlands and Northern Scotland an attractive pale straw-brown form can occur which sometimes has areas of black spots at one third in the fold, just before one half in the centre of the wing and at two thirds in the centre - those examined with these black spots, to date, have all been males.  It may be necessary to confirm identification by dissection with worn specimens or where one of the species below is being considered.

Other less frequently to rarely encountered Scrobipalpa species of about the same size which could be confused with S. acuminatella are:

S. clintoni - which lacks the light reddish brown or yellowish brown scales sometimes found in S. acuminatella

S. pauperella - which can be very similar to some forms of S. acuminatella but has slightly more slender forewings, a darker ground colour and any black spots are more distinctly surrounded with orange-brown scales

S. atriplicella - which has a creamy coloured underside to the abdomen (brownish fuscous in S. acuminatella).