Grey moth, 4:02pm - Scythris inspersella

Moved

Moved from Flower Moths. Thanks, Terry. Will move to new guide page and add your info. What do you think of Mike's move of these two images to Scythris trivinctella? They certainly seem different to us??

and

… john and jane balaban, 25 December, 2008 - 10:36am

Scythris trivinctella

I agree with you that the moths in Mike Quinn's two photos look a bit different, and I agree with Mike's moving them both to S. trivinctella.

According to Landry 1991, if a scythridid has the basal white marking on the forewing, followed by the curved white marking, followed by the white transverse bar (the latter with or without the little brown nick at the posterior margin), then it can be reliably diagnosed as S. trivinctella (which occurs across most of the USA and southern Canada), unless it occurs in California or Nevada, where the similar S. ypsilon (CA only) and a couple of similar/related, undescribed "species to be named later" occur.

Furthermore, S. trivinctella can be quite variable in appearance. As one extreme end of its possible variation, Landry 1991 illustrates an individual (determined by dissection, I assume) that was collected in Illinois, that has no white markings on the forewing at all. Therefore, the moths in Mike's two photos, even though they are, as you aptly note, a bit different in appearance, certainly fall comfortably enough within the range of variation of S. trivinctella to be diagnosed as that species.

Given this, I also agree that the moths in images 171224-5, 231001, and 225897 are S. trivinctella.

… Terry Harrison, 25 December, 2008 - 4:37pm

Thanks

I honestly didn't have much hope in getting this identified.

… James Bailey, 7 January, 2009 - 8:05pm

Scythris inspersella

In Landry, JF, 1991 (Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Canada No. 160), there is an illustration of a species called Scythris inspersella, which matches the appearance of the moth in your photo. Because of the distinctive appearance of this scythridid, and because Landry makes no mention of there being any similar-looking spp. in North America, I believe S. inspersella to be a solid ID here.

According to Landry 1991, this moth is found in Europe and all across southern Canada and the northern USA, down into California in the west. Larvae of S. inspersella feed grgariously in loose webs on the shoots and flower spikes of several species of Epilobium (Onagraceae). In northern North America, it has been reared from fireweed, E. angustifolium. Mature larvae probably would be present around mid-July, as emergence dates for reared adults range from late July into early August.

… Terry Harrison, 25 December, 2008 - 10:34am

Moved

Moved from Moths.

… john and jane balaban, 16 December, 2008 - 7:27pm

Grey moth, 4:02pm

I believe this is a "scythridid" (scythridine xylorictid); it is a species that I have not seen before.

… Terry Harrison, 16 December, 2008 - 8:30am

Moved

Moved from Butterflies and Moths.

… john and jane balaban, 15 October, 2008 - 9:13pm

Gelechioidea?

I think this is not the same moth and it looks to me like it is in Gelechioidea.

… Steve Nanz, 27 September, 2008 - 5:53am