Other Common Names
Linnaeus's Cosmet
Linden Bark Borer (larva)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Chrysoclista linneella (Clerck, 1759)
Phalaena linneella Clerck, 1759
* phylogenetic sequence #043125
Explanation of Names
Specific epithet
linneella in honor of Carl von Linné (or Carolus Linnaeus), the "
Father of Taxonomy."
(1)Identification
Adult - a tiny moth - forewing bright orange or yellow with three large silvery spots arranged in a triangle in the median area, and a feathery fringe of scales on the outer margin. Hindwing blackish-violet with yellow cast.
Larva - pale white.
Range
Introduced from Europe on more than one occasion (first recorded in New York City in 1928); also reported from other parts of New York State, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Vermont, southern Ontario, and Halifax, Nova Scotia. Occurs naturally throughout Europe.
Habitat
In and around European Linden trees.
Season
Adults fly from May to September.
Food
Larvae bore within the bark of European Linden (Tilia europea), an ornamental tree planted in many areas of northeastern North America; not yet known to feed on native species of Tilia, commonly known as basswood.
Life Cycle
One generation per year; overwinters as a larva under bark of host plant; pupation occurs within bark in early spring; adults emerge from May to August.
Remarks
Genus name sometimes misspelled "Chrysoclysta", and specific epithet commonly misspelled "lineella" plus other misspellings.
Internet References
live adult image (Bob Chapman, UK Moths)
pinned adult image (Kimmo and Seppo Silvonen, Finland)
pinned adult image (B. Gustafsson, Natural History Museum of Sweden)
common name reference [Linnaeus's Spangle-wing] (British Insects: the Families of Lepidoptera; L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz)
common name reference; PDF doc [Linden Bark Borer] plus origin, North American distribution, biology (Christopher Majka, Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History; Entomological Society of Canada)