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Photo#1079423
Elachistidae: Antaeotricha schlaegeri - Antaeotricha schlaegeri

Elachistidae: Antaeotricha schlaegeri - Antaeotricha schlaegeri
Erskine, Polk County, Minnesota, USA
June 6, 2015
Size: Length ~ 1.5 cm

Images of this individual: tag all
Elachistidae: Antaeotricha schlaegeri - Antaeotricha schlaegeri Elachistidae: Antaeotricha schlaegeri - Antaeotricha schlaegeri

Observations
Any chance the size is wrong? If not, I wonder if size can be used. This looks like leucillana to me. There is a spot in the basal quarter at the bend of the costal margin. This spot is never this well defined in BOLD images of A. schlaegeri and when present, tends to not reach the costa and tends to be closer the the next spot further out. They usually touch or are connected not so offset and well separated like yours. Compare Mark's images of both species here, here, and here. This is just an observation and may amount to nothing.

 
Thanks, Steve!
My estimated measurement (length ~ 1.5 cm) may be off +/- a mm either way, so I would use this metric for species determination, especially given the size variation in moths I've observed over the last five seasons. My sense is that this specimen may be a better match for A. leucillana. If you agree, then please move the images. I've spied only two examples of this genus in 5 years, and so have no experience wrestling with the intricacies required to separate A. leucillana from A. schlaegeri. I certainly trust your good judgment. I will take an exact measurement of the next specimens I find.

 
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1 mm wouldn't matter. Based on the literature, I guess we should leave it for now. We'll eventually sort this out if it's wrong. Thanks for getting back.

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