Scythris inertella (Zeller, 1855)

Bidzilya, Oleksiy V., Budashkin, Yury I. & Zhakov, Aleksandr V., 2017, Checklist of scythridid moths (Lepidoptera, Scythrididae) of Ukraine with description of two new species, Zootaxa 4291 (3), pp. 481-503 : 494-495

Scythris inertella (Zeller, 1855)

Material examined. 2♂, Odessa reg., viCinity oF Ovidiopol’, beaCH oF Dnestr estuary, motley grass, 17.vi.1984 (Nesterov) ; 1♂, Zaporozhie reg., ObitoCHnaja kosa, 22.vi.1996 (GorobCHisHin).

Distribution. NortH AFriCa, SoutHern Europe, Belarus, Russia (CauCasus), Turkey, Lebanon ( Bengtsson 1997; Nupponen et al. 2007; Sinev 2008). In Ukraine known From Crimea only ( BudasHkin 1990, 2004).

Ecology. About 20 mature larvae and pupae oF tHis speCies were ColleCted on Kochia prostrata ( CHenopodiaCeae ) on 24.v. 2007 in tHe Eastern Range oF KaZantip Nature Reserve ( BudasHkin & SavCHuk 2010).

THe larvae live Communally inside long semi-transparent tubular tunnels on tHe stems oF tHe Host plant and Feed on green leaves. Pupation oCCurs in larval galleries and proCeeds witHout diapause: tHe larvae pupated 26–27.v., tHen one male and 12 Females emerged 29.v–9.vi.2014. In 2014 tHe larvae oF tHis speCies were observed on anotHer Host plant, Halimione verrucifera ( CHenopodiaCeae ) ( Fig. 38 ) ( BudasHkin 2014b). THe larvae live gregariously under ligHt silken sHelter on tHe stems nibbling leaF edges and otHer parts oF tHe Host plant. Pupation oCCurs in ligHt wHite semi-transparent CoCoons botH on tHe Host plant and outside, inCluding plant debris and lasts 1–2 days For pre-pupa and 9–12 days For pupa (two larvae pupated 16 and 17.v and produCed imagines on 28.v; tHe majority oF larvae pupated 20–22.v, 14 imagines emerged 29.v–1.vi, tHe last adult emerged 7.vi). THis population inHabits salt marsHes in tHe moutH oF Arabatskaya Strelka, wHere several tHousand speCimens oF tHis speCies were observed by Yuri BudasHkin in 2014.

Figures

FIGURES 37 – 40. Habitats and host plants of Scythris spp. 37. Salt marshes on Barakol Lake, East Crimea, Feodosia distr. Habitats of S. zhakovi, S. aegrella, S. acipenserella, S. sublaminella. 38. Halimione verrucifera, host-plant of S. zhakovi and S. inertella. 39. Steppe in the vicinity of Schastlivtsevo vill., Arabatskaya strelka, Kherson reg. Habitat of S. zhakovi. 40. Oleshki sands, Kherson reg. Habitat of S. psammitis, S. pudorinella and S. sp. pr. hornigi.