Eucosma cana

Wingspan 15-23 mm. This species is fairly distinctive with its buffish or greyish ground colour and darker longitudinal streaks. The light longitudinal discal streak on the forewing serves to separate darker specimens with indistinct markings from E. hohenwartiana.

Rough ground and flower meadows.

The adults are on the wing between June and August and fly from late afternoon onwards and come to light.

The larvae feed on the flowerheads of various types of Thistle and Black Knapweed.

Generally common and widely distributed in Britain. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.

Fairly common in Leicestershire and Rutland. L&R Moth Group status = A (common and resident)