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Photo#1111157
Mine on Mirabilis jalapa - Bucculatrix? - Aetole tripunctella

Mine on Mirabilis jalapa - Bucculatrix? - Aetole tripunctella
Mehan, Payne County, Oklahoma, USA
July 28, 2015
cocoon

Images of this individual: tag all
Mine on Mirabilis jalapa - Bucculatrix? - Aetole tripunctella Mine on Mirabilis jalapa - Bucculatrix? - Aetole tripunctella Mine on Mirabilis jalapa - Bucculatrix? - Aetole tripunctella Mine on Mirabilis jalapa - Bucculatrix? - Aetole tripunctella Mine on Mirabilis jalapa - Bucculatrix? - Aetole tripunctella

Moved

A Bucculatrix cocoon, yes...
...but no Bucculatrix is known from Mirabilis, and these don't resemble Bucculatrix mines. Bucculatrix larvae often wander from their host plants before spinning cocoons.

My guess for these is Aetole tripunctella, which is known from Oklahoma. Mirabilis jalapa would be a new host record for any leafminer, I think.

 
A wasp emerged from the cocoon
Are there any oaks overhead / nearby? Other native plants that might have been the source of the Bucculatrix? (Many of those that aren't on oaks and related trees are on Asteraceae...)

 
Quercus
Yes, Quercus stellata pretty much overhead.

 
Braconid

Suspiciously similar to this one:

 
Elegant
At least 3 more similar ones emerged from another bulk Dichanthelium collection, though one got away.

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