About Athrips mouffetella (Linnaeus, 1758)
Athrips mouffetella, commonly known as the ten-spotted honeysuckle moth, is a moth species belonging to the family Gelechiidae. Its distribution ranges from central and northern Europe eastward to the Ural Mountains, Siberia, and the Russian Far East. It has also been recorded in North America. The adult moth has a wingspan of approximately 15 mm. Its forewings are light ashy brown, speckled with paler tones that carry a faint rosy tint. Small black dots are present near the wing base and along the terminal edge. The wing stigmata and an additional dot positioned obliquely below and before the second discal stigma are black; the first discal stigma lies beyond the plical stigma. The hindwings are grey in color. The larva is blackish-grey, with a whitish dorsal line visible on the incisions between the second and fourth segments. The spiracular line is indistinct, whitish, and more clearly defined toward the anterior end of the body. The larval head and the sclerotized plate on the second segment are black. Adult moths are active in flight from June to August, with timing varying by location. The larvae feed on Lonicera species, including Lonicera periclymenum, Lonicera xylosteum, and Lonicera caprifolium, and also feed on Symphoricarpos albus.
