Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Dichomeris flavocostella (Clemens, 1860)
Trichotaphe flavocostella
* phylogenetic sequence #070725
Explanation of Names
FLAVOCOSTELLA: from the Latin "flavus" (yellow) + "costa" (a rib); [the costa of an insect is the anterior marginal rib of its wing]; refers to the yellowish strip along the costa of the forewing.
Identification
Adult - forewing purplish-black with cream-colored strip along costa stopping short of apex; a spur of the strip points inward in the PM area, like a sharp-pointed tooth that touches (or nearly touches) the corresponding "tooth" on the other forewing. Hindwing gray.
Range
Quebec and Maine to Florida, west to Texas, north to Manitoba.
(2),
(3)Season
Adults fly from May to August (June and July in the north).
Food
Larvae are leaf tiers on aster, goldenrod, sunflower.
(4)See Also
At least two other
Dichomeris species are similar (
aleatrix and
inserrata) but the yellowish "tooth" in their PM area is truncated and blunt, and does not come close to touching the corresponding "tooth" on the other forewing.
Print References
Beadle, D. & S. Leckie 2012. Peterson Field Guide to Moths of Northeastern North America. Houghton Mifflin. p.67-68 (
preview)
(1)
Clemens, B. 1860. New American Micro-Lepidoptera. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Philadelphia 1:
131-132
Covell Jr., C.V. 1984. Field Guide to Moths of Eastern North America. Houghton Mifflin Company. p.438, pl.64.4
(5)
Loeffler, C.C. 1994. Natural History of Leaf-Folding Caterpillars,
Dichomeris spp. (Gelechiidae), on Goldenrods and Asters. Journal of the New York Entomological Society 102(4): 405-428 (
free access)
(4)Internet References
live adult images plus description, food plants, and flight season (Lynn Scott, Ontario)