Agonopterix pallorella

Agonopterix pallorella is a moth of the family Depressariidae. It is found in most of Europe.

Leaf of Centaurea scabiosa folded by larva

Larva

Agonopterix pallorella
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Depressariidae
Genus:	Agonopterix
Species:	A. pallorella
Binomial name
Agonopterix pallorella (Zeller, 1839)[1]
Synonyms
Depressaria pallorella Zeller, 1839[2] Depressaria subpallorella Staudinger, 1870 Depressaria discognitella Herrich-Schäffer, 1871

The wingspan is 19–24 mm. The forewings are whitish-ochreous, veins strewn with dots of dark fuscous scales; an indistinct dark fuscous longitudinal streak near dorsum from near base to before tornus; first and second discal stigmata black; terminal black dots. Hindwings ochreous-grey-whitish, greyer posteriorly. The larva is dull greenish, darker posteriorly; dorsal and subdorsal lines greenish-black; dots black; head red-brown; 2 pale reddish -brown, with two black crescentic marks^[3]

Adults are on wing from mid June to March.^[4]

The larvae feed on Centaurea species (including Centaurea scabiosa and Centaurea nigra) and Serratula tinctoria. They feed from within rolled leaves.^[5] The species overwinters as an adult. Pupation takes place below ground or in amongst plant detritus.