Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Dichomeris ligulella Hübner, 1818
Chaetochilus contubernalellus Fitch, 1853
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Rhinocera pometella Harris, 1853
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Chaetochilus malifoliellus Fitch, 1854
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Ypsolophus pauciguttellus Clemens, 1863
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Ypsolophus flavivittellus Clemens, 1864
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Ypsolophus reedella Chambers, 1872
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Ypsolophus quercipominella Chambers, 1872
(1) Identification
Adult - forewing elongate. Dimorphic: forewing brown in one morph, blackish with cream-colored costal streak in the other. Hindwing bluish-gray, translucent.
This dimorphism was previously (until 2020) described as being sexual here, an error replicated in Peterson’s guides and probably elsewhere. This is not accurate, and it is unclear how the misconception originated.
Range
Records from the eastern half of the United States and southeastern Canada, Texas.
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(7)Season
Adults fly year round in the south.
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In northern states, adults appear in July and August.
(8)Food
Larval hosts include apple, hackberry, hazel, oak, basswood and cherry. Larvae skeletonize leaves and sometimes fold or roll them when feeding.
(2)Life Cycle
Overwinters as an adult. Lays single eggs in the spring.
Eggs are laid on the underside of leaves. The larvae feed and skeletonize the leaves either openly or in folded/rolled leaves. Pupation occurs in these rolls or in the ground litter.
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Print References
Beadle, D. & S. Leckie 2012.
Peterson Field Guide to Moths of Northeastern North America. Houghton Mifflin. p.66-67 (
preview)
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Covell Jr., C.V. 1984.
Field Guide to Moths of Eastern North America. Houghton Mifflin Company. p.437, pl.64.6
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Hodges, R.W. 1986.
The Moths of America North of Mexico, Fascicle 7.1. The Wedge Entomological Research Foundation, p.33; pl.1.1-7
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