Bryotropha terrella

Bryotropha terrella is a moth of the family Gelechiidae. It is the type species of the genus Bryotropha. It is found in Europe.

Bryotropha terrella
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Gelechiidae
Genus:	Bryotropha
Species:	B. terrella
Binomial name
Bryotropha terrella (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)[1]
Synonyms
Tinea terrella Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775 Tinea inulella Hübner, [1805] Nothris pauperella Hübner, [1825] Gelechia latella Herrich-Schäffer, 1854 Gelechia lutescens Constant, 1865 Gelechia suspectella Heinemann, 1870 Bryotropha alpicolella Heinemann, 1870 Gelechia distinctella var. tenebrosella Teich, 1886 Bryotropha terrella var. sardoterrella Schawerda, 1936 Bryotropha terrella ab. quignoni Dufrane, 1938 Bryotropha terrella ab. joannisi Dufrane, 1938 Bryotropha terrella ab. rufa Dufrane, 1938 Bryotropha terrella ab. ochrea Dufrane, 1938

The wingspan is 14–16 mm.^[2] Forewings very variable in ground colour - dark fuscous, shades of brown and grey to cream (coastal form), dark shining bronzy base of costa purplish-tinged. Variously showing the ‘bryotropha’ spots, a sub-terminal fascia and spots around the wing tip or unicolorous. Hindwings grey. Certain identification is by miscroscopic examination of the genitalia.^[3][4][5]

The moths are on wing from May to August depending on the location.

The larvae feed on various mosses and grasses, including Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Syntrichia ruraliformis, Hypnum jutlandicum, Calliergonella cuspidata and Agrostis capillaris.