Photo © Keith Tailby
Metzneria aprilella
Checklist Number35.059 [B&F: 0727a]
Verification
Record will normally be accepted but photo evidence may be required - check with CMR if not sure of identity
Classification
| Family: | Gelechiidae |
| Subfamily: | Anomologinae |
| Genus: | Metzneria |
| Species: | aprilella |
| Authority: | (Herrich-Schäffer, 1854) |
Nationally scarce (Nb) on grassland, mainly calcareous, and waste ground throughout south-eastern England. In Hampshire the species' stronghold is on Portsdown Hill, with a small population around Leckford. Not recorded from the Isle of Wight to date. Wingspan 15-18 mm. Has been confused with M. neuropterella in the past, but is generally smaller, with forewing suffused orange-vermilion, a colour not found in that species, and lacks the pale area containing a stigma at the distal end of the cell (MBGBI Vol 4 part 2). Larva feeds within seedheads of Greater Knapweed, over-wintering in a silken chamber.
The abundance in each month is indicated as follows:
No records
Very occasional
Irregular
Uncommon
Off-peak, but not unusual
Off-peak, but not unusual
Main flight time| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Larval | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Records by week (adult)
Records by week (larval)
VC8 Wiltshire (Hants county)
| Site | Date | Quantity | Recorder | Stage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martin Down NNR (SU01) | 27/06/2009 | one | Richard Coomber, Juliet Bloss et al | Adult |
VC11 South Hampshire
| Site | Date | Quantity | Recorder | Stage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portsdown (SU60) | 10/01/1981 | - | J R Langmaid, D H, P H Sterling | Larval |
| Portsdown (SU60) | 03/04/1989 | - | Richard J Dickson | - |
| Portsdown (SU60) | 04/03/1990 | - | J R Langmaid, R J Heckford | Larval |
| Sparsholt (SU43) | 1992 | one | Tony Dobson | Adult |
| Portsdown (SU60) | 29/01/1997 | - | J R Langmaid, I R Thirlwell | Larval |
| Winchester (SU43) | 18/07/2002 | one | John Cloyne | Adult |
| West Meon (SU62) | 29/05/2014 | one | Richard J Dickson | Adult |
| West Meon (SU62) | 24/06/2014 | four | Maurice Opie | Adult |
VC12 North Hampshire
| Site | Date | Quantity | Recorder | Stage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chilbolton (SU43) | 28/12/1980 | - | J R Langmaid, D H, P H, M J Sterling | Larval |
| Leckford Estate (SU33) | 15/07/2002 | one | J R Langmaid, B Elliott | Adult |
| Cholderton (SU24) | 27/06/2009 | one | Mike Wall & Tim Norriss | Adult |
| Old Burghclere (SU45) | 09/07/2010 | one | Graham Dennis | Adult |
| Weston Colley (SU53) | 26/06/2012 | one | David G Green | Adult |
| Old Burghclere (SU45) | 26/06/2013 | one | Graham Dennis | Adult |
| Magdalen Hill Down (SU52) | 21/07/2015 | one | Jamie Alison | Adult |
| Monxton (SU34) | 10/06/2016 | 15 | Tim Norriss, Lynn Fomison, Monica Johnson | Adult |
