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Kent Moth Group

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Pseudopostega auritella

Fen Bent-wing

Family: Opostegidae

RES: 5.003 B&F: 120

Verification Grade (Adult):

Very rare in Kent. Added to the Kent fauna with the surprise finding of a colony in the Orlestone, complex in 2020 (Boothroyd, B pers. comm. and Atropos: 66). Was previously restricted to a small number of sites in the fens and broads of Norfolk and Cambridgeshire.

Previously thought to have been a miner of the stems of Marsh Marigold, studies in the Netherlands (e.g. van Nieukerken, in 2006 Franje 9(17)) indicate that Gypsywort (Lycopus europaeus) is the food plant. This is borne out by field observations in Norfolk, and the site in Kent, where Gypsywort is abundant.

Foodplant: Gypsywort

© Nick Green

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Photo Gallery

Below is a gallery of Pseudopostega auritella (Fen Bent-wing) images from Kent. If you would like to contribute any photographs, please email mothsinkent@gmail.com.

Reporting Rate

The graph below shows how the number of records submitted Pseudopostega auritella (Fen Bent-wing) to the Kent database has varied since 1950. Hover over the graph to see exact figures for each year, and use the control below to filter by a certain VC.

Filter by VC:AllVC15VC16

External Links

More information about Pseudopostega auritella (Fen Bent-wing) can be seen on the external pages listed below: