Platyedra subcinerea, the mallow groundling or cotton stem moth, is a moth of the family Gelechiidae. It is found in most of Europe.[2] It is an in introduced species in North America, where it has been recorded from New England and California, and has also been introduced to New Zealand.[3][4] The habitat consists of wet meadows, marshes and gardens.
| Platyedra subcinerea | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Gelechiidae |
| Genus: | Platyedra |
| Species: | P. subcinerea |
| Binomial name | |
| Platyedra subcinerea (Haworth, 1828) | |
| Synonyms | |
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The wingspan is 14–21 mm. The forewings are tan, speckled and with a longitudinal series of alternating dots and streaks through the middle of the wing. The dots are usually surrounded by a lighter patch and the last dot may be double. The tips of the forewings are darker. The hindwings are very pale grey.[5]
The larvae feed on Parietaria officinalis, Urtica species, Althaea officinalis, Lavatera thuringiaca and Malva sylvestris.[6]
| Taxon identifiers |
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