Recording method

Comes to light. Dry, whitish frass exuding from a small hole in the stem can indicate a larva is present, or look for spun fruits of Babington’s Orache.

Life cycle

Larvae present May-October, feeding in the stem where they eat the pith.  On Babington’s Orache it will feed on single fruits, or two fruits spun together.  Adults fly May-September.

Larval foodplants

Oraches. In Europe it also uses Goosefoot species.

History

The first for Dumfries & Galloway was found on Auchencairn Bay, Kirkcudbrightshire, on 3rd August 2004, while the first for Wigtownshire was found at Port of Counan on 21st July 2006 during a ‘Grey Daggers’ Moth Group field meeting.