Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Fascista bimaculella (Chambers, 1872)
(1)
Depressaria bimaculella Chambers, 1872
Gelechia sylvaecolella Chambers, 1878
Gelechia ternariella Zeller, 1873
Identification
Dr. Mark A. Metz pointed out a long standing confusion with the similarly named
Filatima biminimaculella, a fairly plain brown moth which looks nothing like
Fascista bimaculella. (See syntype of
biminimaculella now posted on the
species page on MPG.) The comments below would appear to have resulted from this confusion but are retained struck through pending confirmation from the editor who authored those comments:
"Possibly mistaken for Filatima biminimaculella (of which see BugGuide photo 364610 for a good example), from which it can be differentiated via the following particulars: in Fascista bimaculella, (1) Ground color of forewing uniformly dark gray (versus darker on either side of the central white spot in Filatima biminimaculella); (2) White patch near base of forewing absent (versus present); (3) Dorsum of prothorax dark gray (versus contrastingly ochreous); (4) Head dark gray (versus white or whitish)."
A basal white patch on the forewing is not mentioned in the original description of Fascista bimaculella but it apparently is for its synonyms sylvaecolella and ternariella.
Identifications on BugGuide and MPG should be considered tentative. "There are some other gelechiids in other genera (e.g., Chionodes) with similar markings, but they would probably need dissected to determine species." - Dr. Mark A. Metz (pers. comm., 5/13/2022).
Range
Midwestern USA; common in Illinois and Kentucky; also recorded from Colorado.
Type locality (bimaculella): Kentucky.
Type locality (sylvaecolella): Kentucky.
Type locality (ternariella): Texas.
Habitat
Sometimes common in light-trap samples from tallgrass prairie, but also collected at light in other plant communities. Based on its morphological structure, it does appear to be closely related to the redbud leaffolder, Fascista cercerisella, which is a tree feeder. Being a gelechiid, F. bimaculella probably is hostplant specific. Rearing is needed, to assess its biotic affinities. Who among us will be the first to figure out and make known its life history?
Season
Records of adults collected at light indicate general summer occurrence.
Print References
Chambers, V.T., 1872. Micro-Lepidoptera. The Canadian Entomologist, 4:
108.
Chambers, V.T., 1878. Descriptions of new Tineina from Texas, and others from more northern localities. Bulletin of the United States Geological and Geographical Survey of the Territories, 4(3):
86.
Clarke, J.F., 1947. Notes on, and new species of, American moths of the genus Filatima Busck (Gelechiidae: Lepidoptera). Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences, 37: 275. (transferred from Filatima to Fascista)
Zeller. P.C., 1873. Beiträge zur Kenntniss der nordamericanischen Nachtfalter, besonders der Microlepidopteren. Verhandlungen der Kaiserlich-Königlichen Zoologisch-Botanischen Gesellschaft in Wien, 23:
264.
Contributed by
Terry Harrison on 27 December, 2014 - 4:44pm
Additional contributions by
Steve NanzLast updated 14 May, 2022 - 5:59am