077 Chilo phragmitella

CRAMBIDAE | Crambinae | Chiloini

63.077 Chilo phragmitella (Reed Veneer)

ws: m24-32mm f30-40mm; Jun-Jul; common reed (Phragmites), reed sweet-grass (Glyceria maxima); local in reed beds and fens in England & Wales

Chilo phragmitella §3 male

ID: Male - forewing with costa arched near base, apex acute, termen weakly sinuate; dark to light reddish brown, sometimes suffused fuscous; often with dark longitudinal stripe from base through small, black discal spot; hindwing pale brownish white; cilia of both wings with a metallic gloss. Male Donacaula forficella looks somewhat similar but it has an oblique dark apical streak.
Female - forewing longer and narrower than male, apex more acute and termen very oblique; pale brown with small discal spot; hindwing white.
Females similar to to female Schoenobiinae, but in C.phragmitella the costa is concave towards the apex (convex in Schoenobiinae).

Variation
Dissection
Male genitalia
Female genitalia

§1 Horsey, Norfolk; 14/07/2008; male; fw 12mm
§2 Sutton Fen, Norfolk; 22/07/2008; male; fw 11.8mm
§3 Ham Fen, Kent; 10/08/2010; male
§4 Strumpshaw Fen, Norfolk; 09/09/2011; male; fw 15mm
§5 Strumpshaw Fen, Norfolk; 27/07/2012; male; fw 13.7mm
§6 Strumpshaw Fen, Norfolk; 28/07/2012; female; fw 19mm
§7 Strumpshaw Fen, Norfolk; 10/06/2015; male; to light
§8 Arne, Dorset; 06/07/2016; male; fw 12.1mm; to light
§9 Foulden Common, Norfolk; 06/06/2016; male; fw 15.5mm; to light
§10 Foulness, Essex; 21/07/2018; female; fw 15.0mm
§11 Foulness, Essex; 13/08/2022; male
§12 Foulness, Essex; 13/08/2022; male
All images © Chris Lewis