Agriphila tristella

Agriphila tristella, the common grass-veneer, is a species of moth of the family Crambidae found in Europe and Asia.

Distribution and habitat
Agriphila tristella is found in grassy habitats. It occurs across Europe including the British Islands, as well as in Asia, including in Iran, north-western India, and Pakistan. Its type locality is in Austria.



Behaviour
In the UK, the moth flies from June to September. It is nocturnal and attracted to light.

The larvae feed on various grasses, such as Poa and Deschampsia species.

Handbook of British Lepidoptera
The following description of Agriphila tristella was published in Edward Meyrick's 1895 A Handbook of British Lepidoptera: "The wingspan is 22–30 mm. The face has a short cone. Forewings are pale or deep yellow-ochreous, often mixed and sometimes wholly suffused with dark brown; median vein and lb pale or whitish; second line indistinctly brownish, acutely angulated, sometimes obsolete; sometimes some indistinct blackish terminal dots; cilia shining whitish-ochreous to fuscous. Hindwings are grey. The larva is pale ochreous or brownish; spots large, blackish-brown; head and plate of 2 black"