Little grey

Eudonia lacustrata · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Crambidae

Also called: Whitethorn Grey

No source yet on danger. We have no source yet on whether it bites, stings or damages anything.
Little grey
Photo: Timon B, CC BY

The little grey moth has a wingspan of about 16 to 18 mm and distinctive whitish forewings with black markings. It occurs across Europe, north-west Africa, and parts of Asia, and its larvae feed on mosses. Adults are on the wing from May to August, depending on location.

Source: Wikipedia

How to recognize it

Forewings are whitish, sometimes tinged with light ochreous-yellow, sprinkled with black; they have a black-marked base, whitish lines edged in black, a black X-shaped discal mark, and a grey-black mixed terminal area with a white subterminal line that is broken in the middle. Hindwings are whitish-grey, becoming darker toward the edge.

Source: Wikipedia

Size

The wingspan ranges from 16 to 18 mm (about 0.63 to 0.71 in).

Source: Wikipedia

What it eats

Larvae feed on a variety of mosses.

Source: Wikipedia

Life cycle

Adults fly from May to August, timing varying by region.

Source: Wikipedia

When you see it

Flight period is May through August, depending on location.

Source: Wikipedia

Where it comes from

Found throughout Europe, north-west Africa, and from Turkey and Iran eastward to Siberia and western China; the subspecies E. lacustrata persica occurs in Iran and Armenia.

Source: Wikipedia

Questions people ask

Are they a pest for the home or garden?

They are not reported to damage food, fabrics, wood, or garden plants; the larvae feed on mosses.

Source: Wikipedia

When can I expect to see them?

Adults are active from May to August, with exact timing depending on where you live.

Source: Wikipedia

Same family (Crambidae)

Box Tree MothBox Tree MothCydalima perspectalisDamages trees, gardens or cropsCelery Leaftier MothCelery Leaftier MothUdea rubigalisDamages trees, gardens or cropsElegant Grass-veneerElegant Grass-veneerMicrocrambus elegansHawaiian Beet Webworm MothHawaiian Beet Webworm MothSpoladea recurvalisDamages trees, gardens or cropsGarden Grass-veneerGarden Grass-veneerChrysoteuchia culmellaDamages trees, gardens or cropsBluegrass Webworm MothBluegrass Webworm MothParapediasia teterrellusDamages trees, gardens or crops

Sources

  • Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eudonia_lacustrata

Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia

Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.

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