Scarce Obscure Oegoconia deauratella
The Scarce Obscure is a small moth, reaching a wingspan ranging from 12 to 15 mm. It is very dark brown or black and has three small white bands running over the wings. The first is very close to the head, the second is in the middle part of the wing and the third is near the tip of the wing. The legs are black and white and the tip of the antennae is white as well.
Little is known about the caterpillars. They probably feed on decaying plants, but that still has to be confirmed. Adult moths are on the wing from June to August mainly. They are nocturnal, but are attracted to light.
In the Netherlands there are two species of Oegoconia: the Scarce Obscure and Oegoconia caradjai. The two species can be told apart, for Oegoconia caradjai has no white parts, but rather yellowish light parts and these cover much more of the wings then the white parts of the Scarce Obscure do. In Britain and many other European countries the situation is not as easy as in the Netherlands, for there is a third species: the Four-spotted Yellowneck (Oegoconia quadripuncta), also known as the Leaf Litter Moth. It is impossible to tell it apart from the Scarce Obscure on sight. The genitals have to be studied under the microscope. Luckily for me the Four-spotted Yellowneck is not a Dutch species.
