Species Dichomeris ligulella - Palmerworm Moth - Hodges#2281

Classification · Hodges Number · Explanation of Names · Size · Identification · Range · Season · Food · Remarks · Internet References

Palmerworm Moth - 2281 - Dichomeris ligulella

Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)

No Taxon (Moths)

Superfamily Gelechioidea

Family Gelechiidae (Twirler Moths)

Subfamily Dichomeridinae

Genus Dichomeris

Species ligulella (Palmerworm Moth - Hodges#2281)

Hodges Number

2281

Explanation of Names

LIGULELLA: meaning "a small tongue or strap" - from the Latin "ligula" (a tongue or strap); perhaps a reference to the appearance of the elongate wings?

Size

wingspan 15-18 mm

Identification

forewing long and narrow, dark grayish-brown (or costal half cream-colored in some specimens); darker reniform spot and other small dots; hindwing bluish-gray, translucent

[description by Charles Covell]

Range

eastern North America

Season

adults fly from April to October

Food

larvae feed on apple, hackberry, hazel, oak

Remarks

sometimes a pest on apple trees

second segment of labial palp has triangular scale tuft, but magnification is required to see it

Internet References

live adult images of 2 color forms (Bob Patterson, Maryland)

pinned adult images of 2 color forms (Mississippi Entomological Museum)

adult image (Larry Line, Maryland)

Contributed by Robin McLeod on 24 November, 2005 - 7:05pm

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2009 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by Iowa State University Entomology.

Printer Friendly Version