This species can be found in most of Europe, except for Portugal and Iceland.[1]
Habitat
These moths inhabit a variety of areas, preferably with rich vegetation or bushes.[2]
Description
Acompsia cinerella has a wingspan of 16–19 mm. These moths have long upwardly-curved labial palps. The forewings show a brownish colour, without any marking.[3] This species is rather similar to Helcystogramma rufescens.[4] Meyrick describes it - Forewings rather light greyish-brown; stigmata sometimes faintly darker. Hindwings grey.[5][6][7][8][9]
Biology
There are two generations per year, as it is a bivoltine species. Adults are on wing from May to September. The larvae feed on moss present on trunks of broad leaves trees, often at the base of the tree.[3][10][11]
Bibliography
Erstbeschreibung: Clerck, C. (1759): Icones Insectorum rariorum Cum Nominibus eorum trivialibus, locisqve e C. LinnaeiArch. R. et Eqv. Aur. Syst. Nat. allegatis. Sectio Prima: [8 unpaginierte Textseiten], pl. 1-16. Holmiae. — Digitalisat der Bibliothèque nationale de France.
Lectotypus-Festlegung: Robinson, G. S. & E. Schmidt Nielsen (1983): The Microlepidoptera described by Linnaeus and Clerck. — Systematic Entomology 8: 191–242.
^Meyrick, E., 1895 A Handbook of British Lepidoptera MacMillan, London pdf This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. Keys and description
^Langmaid, J. R., Palmer, S. M. & Young, M. R. [eds]. 2018 A Field Guide to the Smaller Moths of Great Britain and Ireland [3rd ed.]Reading, Berkshire. British Entomological and Natural History Society
^Sterling, P. and Parsons, M. 2012 Field Guide to the Micro Moths of Great Britain and Ireland Dorset British Wildlife Publishing, 2012
ISBN 10: 0956490212 / ISBN 13: 9780956490216 - 2nd edition (Bloomsbury Wildlife Guides)