Pseudargyrotoza conwagana, a Tortrix Moth
Pseudargyrotoza conwagana has a rather complicated name and is one of the smallest Leaf-rolling moths. Identification is simple: it is yellowish and brownish having a circular yellow marking on top (even though this is not always as obvious) and between all these colours silver scales are scattered in small groups. These silvery scales are not uncommon in Tortrixes. They reflect sunlight just like leaves do, making the animal hard to spot when resting on leaves in sunshine. The legs are greyish brown showing some darker patches, especially the front legs. Only some 5 mm long this moth has a wingspan of 11 to 15 mm, but usually some 12 mm only.
The eggs are deposited in summer. The caterpillar usually just curls up one leaf and lives inside the curl until the leaf is eaten. We find the larvae on Fraxinus and Ligustrum only. Pseudargyrotoza conwagana flies by day and by night. We see the adults flying about from April to July, but sometimes they appear to the beginning of September.
This is a common species throughout Britain. Also a common species on the European continent, however rarely appearing in large numbers.
