Species Semioscopis packardella - Packard's Concealer Moth - Hodges#0912

0912

Semioscopis packardella (Clemens, 1863)

Epigraphia eruditella Grote, 1880

Wingspan 10-13.5 mm.

Forewing light silvery-gray or whitish with conspicuous curving black line running from base to about half-way along wing, terminating in a semicircular curve, bordered on outside by yellowish shading; terminal line composed of several black spots; numerous smaller/fainter spots scattered across wing.

Genitalia:

♀

♂

Widespread but apparently patchy distribution across North America; range not well known (see US distribution map) (1), (2)

Woodlands, shrubby areas.

The flight period appears to be March to October with the peak form April to May. (3), (4)

Rosaceae -- Crataegus (hawthorn), Prunus (2)

Sorbus (mountain-ash)

Semioscopis merriccella is similar but its curving black line stops short of the wing base; also has grayer forewing and brownish areas at base of wing and beyond end of black line.

Hodges, R.W., 1974. The Moths of America North of Mexico, Fascicle 6.2. E.W. Classey Ltd. and RBD Publications Inc. p. 54; plate 3, figs. 31-32. (5)

Moth Photographers Group (3)

E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum

Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA) (6)

live adult image and description (Lynn Scott, Ontario)

pinned adult image (John Snyder, Furman U., South Carolina)

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) (7)