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Photo#343876
Heliodinidae, possibly Embola sp? - Embola ionis
Copyright © 2009 Lynn Monroe

Heliodinidae, possibly Embola sp? - Embola ionis

Boulder, Boulder County, Colorado, USA
July 23, 2005
Size: tiny
we saw this moth on Coneflower along South Boulder Creek Trail. It looks very much like an Embola as seen on http://www.microleps.org/Guide/Heliodinidae/index.html. Also I see no distribution records for the similar Neoheliodines in this area of Colorado. But I can't tell the two genera apart. Any help will be much appreciated.

Images of this individual: tag all
Heliodinidae, possibly Embola sp? - Embola ionis Heliodinidae, possibly Embola sp? - Embola ionis
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Contributed by Lynn Monroe on 17 October, 2009 - 12:49pm
Last updated 18 October, 2009 - 9:19pm

Comments

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… John F. Carr, 18 October, 2009 - 9:19pm login or register to post comments

Embola ionis
This is Embola ionis. According to the Hsu and Powell revision here, it is the only known Embola species that might be found in Colorado; all of the other Embola spp. that resemble E. ionis occur only farther south than Colorado. Neoheliodines nyctaginella probably occurs in Colorado, but the moth in these photos cannot be that species, because it lacks the black edging on the posterior margin of the forewing from wing base to first dorsal metallic spot, which is reliably diagnostic for N. nyctaginella.
… Terry Harrison, 18 October, 2009 - 11:40am login or register to post comments

 
Neoheliodines nyctaginella
I just submitted a pair of moths from Colorado that look like the images of N. nyctaginella both on Bugguide (# 1250112) and on the microleps site. Both have the diagnostic black edging on the posterior margin of the forewing from wing base to first dorsal metallic spot.
… Lynn Monroe, 2 July, 2016 - 5:29pm login or register to post comments

 
Embola ionis vs Neoheliodines nyctaginella
Thanks so much for the ID, Terry. I checked the BugGuide photo of N. nyctaginella, #191808, and see the black edging you are referring to. I have two other sitings of on of these moths in Colorado. In one of them the color is more like a Neoheliodines, but it lacks the black edging. BTW, your photo of the wing is exquisite. These moths are so tiny that it's almost impossible to get a decent photograph.
… Lynn Monroe, 18 October, 2009 - 5:54pm login or register to post comments

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