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Species Blastobasis glandulella - Acorn Moth - Hodges#1162

Scavenger Moth - Blastobasis glandulella Blastobasis glandulella Blastobasis glandulella? - Blastobasis glandulella Acorn Moth - Blastobasis glandulella Blastobasidae - Blastobasis glandulella Blastobasis glandulella Blastobasinae - Blastobasis glandulella Twirler Moth - Blastobasis glandulella
Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily Gelechioidea (Twirler Moths and kin)
Family Blastobasidae (Scavenger Moths)
Subfamily Blastobasinae (Scavenger Moths)
Tribe Blastobasini
Genus Blastobasis
Species glandulella (Acorn Moth - Hodges#1162)
Hodges Number
1162
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Blastobasis glandulella (Riley, 1871)
Gelechia glandulella Riley, 1871
Holcocera modestella Clemens, 1863
Blastobasis nubilella Zeller, 1873
Blastobasis glandulella
Valentinia glandulella
Phylogenetic sequence #421766
Size
Wingspan 15-25 mm (1)
Forewing length 8-11 mm. (2)
Identification
The only sure way to identify this and most other Blastobasidae is by microscopic examination of the genitalia or by DNA barcoding and even those methods may not result in a species identification since there are many undescribed species in North America.

Adult - forewing gray to grayish-brown with pale diffuse AM line bordered distally by dark band (sometimes absent); 1 black median dot and 2 black reniform dots form a triangle; terminal line composed of dark dots; hindwing shiny gray with dark veins and fringe of long hair-like scales.
Genitalia:

Range
Eastern half of United States and southern Ontario; Pacific states and southwestern states. (3)
Season
Adults fly from April to September. (1)
Food
Larvae feed inside acorns, chestnuts (1), (2) and hickory nuts (4).
Print References
Riley, C.V. 1871. Miscellaneous notes. The Canadian Entomologist 3(6): 118
Internet References
Works Cited
1.Field Guide to Moths of Eastern North America
Charles V. Covell, Jr. 2005.
2.Moths of Western North America
Powell and Opler. 2009. UC Press.
3.North American Moth Photographers Group
4.Eastern Forest Insects
Whiteford L. Baker. 1972. U.S. Department of Agriculture · Forest Service.