35.144 Teleiodes flavimaculella (Herrich-Schäffer, 1854)
Teleiodes luculella <<Teleiodes flavimaculella>> Neotelphusa sequax
Status and Distribution
Rare, recorded from four sites in south and south east England.
National Status: pRDB 1
Bradley & Fletcher no: 774a
Photographer: Photo wanted
Provisional map
NHMSYS0000504462
Pupa
Set Specimens
Caution - there is some doubt as to whether this is the female genitalia of T. flavimaculella linked to below. Although it lacks the additional dorsal plate of the ostium bursae, the tip of this structure is normally notched whereas this one lacks a notch.
Foodplant and Larval Feeding Signs
The foodplant is unknown in Britain.
In Europe it was suspected it could be associated with Quercus (oak) or Castanea (sweet chestnut) but in Sweden it has been found in localities where neither of these trees are present.
In 2012, a female was bred in Poland from a larva found on Salix caprea, Baran, T. (2013). This is treated, in that paper, as the first trustworthy foodplant preference for this species. For full reference and PDF link see under Teleiodes flavimaculella in the Published Papers section of this website.
Habitat
Deciduous woodland.
Finding the Moth
Larva: unknown.
Adult: comes occasionally to light.
Similar Species
Similar to T. luculella, which has broader forewings distally and pale yellow to yellowish-white markings which curve to make a semi-circle touching the costa (leading edge) at both ends. T. flavimaculella has less extensive orange markings in this area.
A form of T. luculella lacking the whitish markings has been found on one occasion in Hampshire in 1969.
May, June, July
Single brooded with only a limited number of records (eight) suggesting a flight period from mid-May to late July.