Dark Strawberry Tortrix (Celypha lacunana)
The Dark Strawberry Tortrix is a very beautiful little moth and is among the most common species around. It is marbled in all kinds of browns over the upperwings with a few silvry lines thrown in for beauty. On the second half of the wing a broad darker brown patch is visible. The hind wings are solid darkbrown and so are the legs, but these have some white rings around them. Celypha lacunana is slightly variable when it comes to markings and very variable when it comes to colour. Darker animals appear regularly, like the one in the bottom pictures. It is an ordinary Tortrix Moths when it comes to size however, because the wingspan is some 16 to 19 mm.
The eggs are deposited from May. The caterpillar folds together two or more leaves and lives between them. The not fully grown caterpillar overwinters in a cocoon on a twig or between leaves. After it has grown to maternity, it falls down and pupates in a cocoon among the leaflitter. It is quite variable in colour. Usually it is a darker kind of brown, but it may also be yellowish brown or reddish brown. It will eat almost anything: leaves, sprouts, buds and even flowers of a great variety of trees, shrubs and flowering plants. In gardens regularly found in Cyclamen. Eggs which have been deposited early may result in a second generation, flying about in August and September.
Because of this 2nd generation the species has a long season: from April to the end of September. Appears abundantly frequently. During day time you may disturb it at its resting place and it will fly away. It actually flies from dusk to far past midnight and it's easily attracted to lights. A common species throughout Britain, including the northern parts of Scotland, and often appearing in great numbers. Also very common all over Europe, even in the most northern of regions.
