Photo © Mike Wall

Aproaerema vinella

Checklist Number
35.006 [B&F: 0846]

Verification
Record requires retention of specimen until confirmed, and may require dissection. Consult with CMR if unsure

Classification

Family:Gelechiidae
Subfamily:Anacampsinae
Genus:Aproaerema
Species:vinella
Authority:Bankes, 1898

Endangered (proposed as a future Red Data Book species) and thought possibly extinct, as it was known only from rough pastures and field edges on the Wealden clay in Sussex, being last recorded on Ditchling Common in 1990: the decline was believed to be associated with the loss of the foodplant to agriculture.

It was therefore surprising when larval webs of this species were discovered at a site on the Isle of Wight in June 2013 - some 70km distant from the previously known locality - during a successful search for the larvae of Agonopterix atomella, and subsequently at two other localities there in June 2014 (S. D. Beavan and R. J. Heckford, Entomologists Gazette 65: 209-214 (2014)). It has subsequently been found in other sites nearby on the island.

Wingspan 11-12 mm.
The larva feeds on Dyer's Greenweed, living between leaves spun together with silk.

The abundance in each month is indicated as follows:

No records
Very occasional
Irregular
Uncommon
Off-peak, but not unusual
Off-peak, but not unusual
Main flight time
J F M A M J J A S O N D
Adult
Larval

Records by week (adult)

Records by week (larval)

VC10 Isle of Wight

Site Date Quantity Recorder Stage
Newtown Meadows (SZ49)21/06/2013oneSDBevan, RJHeckfordLarval
Newtown Meadows (SZ49)21/06/2013-David BiggsLarval
Isle of Wight (SZ48)21/06/2013oneStella D BeavanLarval
Newtown Meadows (SZ49)23/06/2013-SDBevan, RJHeckfordLarval
Isle of Wight (SZ48)23/06/2013-SDBevan, RJHeckfordLarval
Porchfield (SZ49)31/05/2014-Barry AngellLarval
Newtown Meadows (SZ49)05/06/2014fourMark Parsons, Tim Norriss, Paul Davies etcLarval
Isle of Wight (SZ48)05/06/2014fourMark Parsons, Tim Norriss, Paul Davies etcLarval
Isle of Wight (SZ48)25/06/2014-SDBevan, RJHeckford, APFoster, SAdamsLarval
Newtown Meadows (SZ49)25/06/2014-SDBevan, RJHeckford, APFoster, SAdamsLarval
Jersey Camp (SZ49)17/07/2015threeIan MerrifieldAdult
Jersey Camp (SZ49)22/07/2016oneIan MerrifieldAdult
Jersey Camp (SZ49)29/07/2016threeIan MerrifieldAdult
Jersey Camp (SZ49)31/08/2016oneIan MerrifieldAdult
Newtown Meadows (SZ49)02/07/2021twoPhil BardenLarval
Newtown Meadows (SZ49)23/04/2022threePhil BardenAdult