Chionodes distinctella

Chionodes distinctella, the eastern groundling, is a moth of the family Gelechiidae. It is found in almost all of Europe (except Croatia),^[1] as well as most of Russia, Kazakhstan,^[2] Central Asia and North Africa.^[3] The habitat consists of dry, rocky heath and meadows and the verges and rough pastures.

Eastern groundling
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Gelechiidae
Genus:	Chionodes
Species:	C. distinctella
Binomial name
Chionodes distinctella (Zeller, 1839)
Synonyms
Gelechia distinctella Zeller, 1839 Gelechia indistinctella Rebel 1901 Gelechia striolatella Heinemann, 1870 Gelechia tristella Teich, 1889 Gelechia latiorella Amsel, 1939 Gelechia distinctella unicolor Toll, 1947 Chionodes deserticola Piskunov, 1979

The wingspan is 15–19 mm. The terminal joint of palpi is as long as second. Forewings are brown, usually mixed with dark fuscous; usually indistinct dark fuscous spots on costa near base, at 1/4, and beyond middle, and in disc near base and at 1/4; stigmata black, often partly edged with whitish, first discal beyond plical; an indistinct pale ferruginous-tinged angulated fascia at 3/4, sometimes almost obsolete. Hindwings over 1, light grey.^[4][5][6][7]

Adults have been recorded on wing from early June to October in two generations per year in western Europe.^[8]

The larvae feed within the roots^[9] of Genista and Thymus species, as well as Artemisia campestris.^[10]