Cucullia caninae (Rambur, 1833)

Host plants:
The larvae feed on Scrophularia species of dry and warm places, especially Scrophularia canina.

Habitat:
Cucullia caninae inhabits dry and hot places with the host plant. It is most often found on rocky slopes and screes and also in dry gravelly sites in river valleys.

Life cycle:
The moths occur in spring between April and June. The larvae are recorded between May and July. I observed them quite commonly in the souther French Massif de la Sainte Baume in late May 2013 (young to half-grown). The pupa hibernates.

Endangerment factors:
Cucullia caninae is threatened with extinction in the few sites in the German Upper Rhine Valley (agriculture, afforestation, overbuilding, flood control). In SW-Europa endangerment is still lower even if Cucullia caninae loses habitats there, too.

Remarks:
Cucullia caninae is very close to Cucullia blattariae. It is found in NW-Africa and SW-Europe. In Europe it settles in the Iberian Peninsula, S-France, NW-Italy, the Swiss Valais and north to soutwesternmost Germany.