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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) » Lithocolletinae » Porphyrosela » Porphyrosela minuta - Hodges#0843.1 (Porphyrosela minuta)
Photo#190437
Leaf Blotch Miner Moth - Porphyrosela minuta
Copyright © 2008 Ron M.

Leaf Blotch Miner Moth - Porphyrosela minuta
Florien, Sabine Parish, Louisiana, USA
June 10, 2008
I think this is one of the Grass Miner Moths but can't seem to find a good match here. Any ideas?

-EDIT-

Started thinking about where I found this moth. It wasn't on grass and it seemed to be feeding on the leaf...

Just found Leaf Blotch Miner Moth family but still can't find a match there.

Images of this individual: tag all
Leaf Blotch Miner Moth - Porphyrosela minuta Leaf Blotch Miner Moth - Porphyrosela minuta
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Contributed by Ron M. on 13 June, 2008 - 1:48pm
Last updated 14 February, 2017 - 6:33pm

Moved
Moved from Porphyrosela desmodiella.
… Charley Eiseman, 14 February, 2017 - 6:33pm login or register to post comments

Leaf blotch miner moth
This moth is a tiny gracillariid called Porphyrosela desmodiella; it is the only described North American species in this genus. The larva makes a tentiform leaf mine on the underside of the leaflet of a number of different species of legumes (i.e., plants in the family Fabaceae), including Lespedeza capitata and Desmodium spp. (after which the moth is named).

With moths, the larval association of each species with its host plant is specific; that is, the larva of a given moth species is able to survive by feeding on only one plant species (or perhaps a few related plant spp.). Adult moths, on the other hand, are very mobile, flying about from here to there in search of nectar (from no particular species of flower) and mates. Therefore, the plant species on which an adult moth might happen to be observed/photographed at any time is random and is most likely not its larval host plant.
… Terry Harrison, 17 June, 2008 - 12:07pm login or register to post comments

 
Thanks all!
Terry, thanks for the identification and information. Very interesting.

John and Jane, thank you for generating the species page.
… Ron M., 17 June, 2008 - 4:58pm login or register to post comments

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