Summary for Sitochroa palealis

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Sitochroa palealis  ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
Sulphur Pearl
Lepidoptera: micromoths: Crambidae

National status: Local

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Sitochroa palealis has been widely recorded over southern Britain from East Kent to Cornwall north to Lancashire and North-east Yorkshire, and has also been found in parts of Wales. The moth is an immigrant to Great Britain and in places temporary colonies have become established. On a number of sites in southern England the species has been regularly recorded over several years indicating long term establishment, and this has certainly occurred in south Essex near the Thames over the past decade or more. This species frequents grassland on light soils and grassy cliff-tops and has also been found on vegetated shingle. The larva inhabits a tubular silken web in the seed-head of wild carrot Daucus carota, and can be found between June and September. Hibernation takes place in a tough, subterranean cocoon in which pupation occurs in spring. It is not known if this species is currently breeding on any SSSIs and NNRs (Parsons, 1993). References