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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Ribbed Cocoon-maker and Leaf Blotch Miner Moths (Gracillarioidea) » Leaf Blotch Miner Moths (Gracillariidae) » Gracillariinae » Caloptilia » Caloptilia nondeterminata - Hodges#0616 (Caloptilia nondeterminata)
Photo#1364862
Caloptilia nondeterminata (T) - Caloptilia nondeterminata
Copyright © 2017 Joseph V Higbee

Caloptilia nondeterminata (T) - Caloptilia nondeterminata
Spanaway, Pierce County, Washington, USA
May 3, 2017
Size: 7mm
The only match in the guide would be Caloptilia invariabilis - Hodges#0609. Normally an eastern species.
The more local Caloptilia alnicolella - Hodges#0586 has lighter colored feathering on legs and blotchier wing.
The C. invariabilis larvae feed on prunus, a number of which are within 30' of this blacklight screen.
The C.alnicolella larvae feed on alder, none of which are within several hundred feet of here.
See comments below. Marked (T) for tentative.

Images of this individual: tag all
Caloptilia nondeterminata (T) - Caloptilia nondeterminata Caloptilia nondeterminata (T) - Caloptilia nondeterminata
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Contributed by Joseph V Higbee on 4 May, 2017 - 11:30am
Last updated 5 May, 2017 - 5:02pm

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… Joseph V Higbee, 5 May, 2017 - 4:58pm login or register to post comments

Caloptilia nondeterminata
I believe that a strong possibility here is C. nondeterminata. A couple of images can be seen here. I reared a series of this species from a large shrubby species of Ribes in Washington last year. The larval "leaf wads" were conspicuous and abundant on the plant, at the beginning of June. The species appears to be variable in appearance; about half of the individuals that I reared have uniformly orange-brown forewings, and to my eye they look the same as your moth. And of course the geography also agrees.
… Terry Harrison, 5 May, 2017 - 11:24am login or register to post comments

 
Makes sense
I have several Red-flowering Currant shrubs in the yard. The images on BOLD were enough different that I failed to notice the Oregon reference in the description.
I could move this to Caloptilia but would like to put it inC. nondeterminata and perhaps add a (T). This would make it more available to anyone else with similar specimen. ??
Thank you.
… Joseph V Higbee, 5 May, 2017 - 4:37pm login or register to post comments

 
C. nondeterminata
Yes, considering the appearance of your moth, your locality, and the fact that you have currant shrubs in your yard, C. nondeterminata is the frontrunner for the ID of your moth. I suggest that you go ahead and put your photos onto the page for that species.
… Terry Harrison, 5 May, 2017 - 4:54pm login or register to post comments

 
IQ Question
Braun (1939) (1), p. 279, mentions "In general aspect, this species resembles some forms of G. alnivorella Chambers, but is at once distinguished by the different position of the most conspicuous of the fuscous spots." The spots to which Braun seems to refer appear to be absent in the image above. One of the BOLD images does have those marks but it was never barcoded.

Given the spread images at MPG and Charley Eiseman's spread specimen at BugGuide, Photo #853362, I'm inclined to add this along with Dave Trochlell's similar example, Photo #1417953, to MPG which lacks any live images. Please let me know if you have any second thoughts. Thanks!
… Steve Nanz, 6 February, 2020 - 12:57pm login or register to post comments

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