Water Veneer - Acentria ephemerella

Wingspan 11-13 mm. A small and unassuming species. There are two forms of the female - one wingless, which lives under the water and one winged. The fully-winged males have very plain pale grey-green wings.

Various, sometimes near to water but also seen in swarms, sometimes in thousands. It is attracted to light.

The flight period is from June to August.

It has a remarkable life history, living in and around ponds and slow moving waters. The larvae are entirely aquatic, feeding on various aquatic plants such as Pondweeds (Potomogeton spp.) and Canadian Waterweed. The males usually mate with the females on the surface of the water.

Fairly common in suitable habitats throughout the British Isles. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.

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