Hook-streaked Grass-veneer
Crambus lathoniellus
When resting, they roll their wings tightly around their body to mimic a dry grass stalk, making them nearly invisible to predators.
- Scientific name
- Crambus lathoniellus
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Lepidoptera › Crambidae › Crambus
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- grassland
- Habitat
- Open grasslands, hay meadows, and undisturbed suburban lawns.
- Diet
- Larvae feed on the stems and roots of various grasses; adults drink nectar from wildflowers.
- Range
- Europe, North Africa, Western Asia
- Size
- Wingspan of 18-22 mm
- Lifespan
- 1 year
- Active
- crepuscular
- Threats
- Habitat fragmentation, intensive mowing schedules, and the use of broad-spectrum pesticides.
- Safe to approach?
- Completely harmless to humans. If encountered in tall grass, walk softly to avoid disturbing their daytime rest. If one enters your home, gently relocate it outside using a cup.
Crambus lathoniellus is a species of moth of the family Crambidae described by Johann Leopold Theodor Friedrich Zincken in 1817. It is found in Europe, Central and South-East Asia.
Photo: Andrzej Chruślak, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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