Pempelia palumbella

Pempelia palumbella
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Pyralidae
Genus: Pempelia
Species:
P. palumbella
Binomial name
Pempelia palumbella
Synonyms
  • Tinea palumbella Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775
  • Homoeosoma cinerea Humphreys & Westwood, 1841
  • Salebria palumbella liviella Zerny, 1927
  • Salebria palumbella ragonoti Turati, 1923
  • Tinea contubernella Hübner, 1796

Pempelia palumbella is a moth of the family Pyralidae. It is found in Europe.

The wingspan is 25–27 millimetres (0.98–1.06 in). The forewings are violet-brown, more or less sprinkled with whitish and dark fuscous, suffused with whitish towards costa between lines and on apex; first and second lines pale red-brownish, internally black-edged, first angulated, preceded by a small spot of blackish raised scales on fold, second twice indented; a rather oblique black discal mark. The hindwings are light fuscous, darker terminally. The larva is dark greenish-grey, reddish-tinged; dorsal line brownish, pale-edged; subdorsal double, lighter brownish; head reddish brown: in tubular webs on Erica and Polygala

The moth flies in one generation from May to September.

The caterpillars feed on calluna, ericaceae species, thyme and polygalaceae species.