Cucullia blattariae (Esper, 1790)

Host plants:
The caterpillar feeds on Scrophularia species (figwort).

Habitat:
Cucullia blattariae inhabits dry and hot, often rocky or gravelly locations with the host plant from sea level up to about 2000m asl.

Life cycle:
The pupa hibernates. Cucullia blattariae flies early from late March to May. The caterpillars are found between late April and late May often quite common (e.g. Samos). In higher elevations such as on Mount Phalakro in northern Greece, they are observed until July or even early August.

Remarks:
Cucullia blattariae is missing north of the Alps and is found in more eastern parts of southern Europe. In eastern Europe, it occurs northward to southern Poland. It is also found in the Near East (e.g. in Turkey). In more western parts of southern Europe, Cucullia blattariae is substituted by Cucullia caninae (northward to southwest Germany).

The population of Crete has been described as a distinct species Cucullia minoica. Nowadays this taxon is rightly regarded as mere synonym of Cucullia blattariae.