Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Valentinia glandulella (misspelled "Valentina glandulella" on numerous websites)
According to
Jean-Francois Landry, the valid combination is
Blastobasis glandulella (Riley, 1871). The generic name
Valentinia Walsingham, 1907 is a junior synonym of
Blastobasis Zeller, 1855. (pers. comm. RM)
Numbers
one of 11 species of
Blastobasis in North America, listed under Coleophoridae: Blastobasinae at
All-LepsIdentification
Adult: forewing gray to grayish-brown with pale diffuse AM line bordered distally by dark band (sometimes absent); 1 black median dot and 2 black reniform dots form a triangle; terminal line composed of dark dots; hindwing shiny gray with dark veins and fringe of long hair-like scales
Range
eastern United States and southern Ontario; also occurs in California
Season
adults fly from April to September
(1)Food
larvae feed inside acorns and chestnuts
(1)Remarks
described in 1871 by Riley, who originally placed it in genus Gelechia
Internet References
adult images plus common name reference, flight season, and larval food (Larry Line, Maryland)
6 pinned adult images and collection site map (All-Leps)
pinned adult image and photos of related species by Jim Vargo (Moth Photographers Group)
presence in Florida, list (John Heppner, Florida State Collection of Arthropods)
presence in California; 7 collected specimens plus locations and dates (U. of California at Berkeley)
presence in Ontario; list (NHIC; Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources)
classification history of
Blastobasis and
Valentinia showing placement in Blastobasidae by Nye and Fletcher, 1991, and placement in Coleophoridae by Hodges
in Kristensen, 1999 (Butterflies and Moths of the World)
