Phegea54-1. Gelechia hippophaella (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), rediscovered in Belgium after 160 years.

Gelechia hippophaella (Schrank, 1802) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is reported here from Belgium for the first time since its original discovery by E. Fologne in 1864 near Ostend. Following a targeted search for larvae on native Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) (Elaeagnaceae), the species was rediscovered in dunes between Bredene and Ostend on June 13, 2024. In total, around 25 larvae were found across three nearby sites. This rediscovery ends a 160-year gap in the national record and emphasises the value of focused surveys for inconspicuous species.