Other Common Names
White-banded Kearfottia Moth
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Kearfottia albifasciella Fernald, 1904
Kearfottia (Psychidae)
Explanation of Names
Specific epithet from Latin meaning "white-banded."
Numbers
The only Kearfottia species that occurs in America north of Mexico.
Size
Wingspan 9-10 mm (Fernald, 1904).
Identification
Head: Dark brown, long haired (scaled). Palpi long, folded, dark brown, scaled (hairy) on underside. Antenna: Dark brown. Thorax: Dark brown. Underside yellowish-white. Wings: Dark brown-bronzy. Wide white stripe covering about half wing at center, narrowing slightly. Front border of stripe straight, hind border with two points. Costa border of stripe has 4 dark, evenly spaced dots, and inner margin has 3. Both sets sometimes faded or completely absent. Fringe dark brown. Sometimes dotted white along wing tip before fringe. May have a white fleck at anal angle. Hind wings and fringe gray-brown. Legs: Dark brown ringed with white. Abdomen: Gray-brown on top side. Underside of abdomen and legs are yellowish-white (Fernald, 1904).
Range
Found throughout much of eastern North America; Texas and Oklahoma; Ontario.
Moth Photographers Group - large map with some collection locations and dates.
Bug Guide - map of photo records submitted to the guide.
Described material: Plummers's Island, MD (Mr. August
Busck, July 1893); Cincinnati, OH (Miss Annette F.
Braun, July 7, 1903); Montclair, NJ (Mr. W.D.
Kearfott).
Food
Debris, fungus, rotting animal and vegetation.
Print References
Fernald, C.H., 1903. A new genus and species of North American Choreutinae.
The Canadian Entomologist 36(5):
131.
Hodges, Ronald W. (ed.) 1983. Check List of the Lepidoptera of America North of Mexico.
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