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Species Pelochrista derelicta - Derelict Pelochrista - Hodges#3120

Representative Images

Derelict Pelochrista - Hodges#3120 - Pelochrista derelicta Derelict Eucosma - Pelochrista derelicta Eucosma ? - Pelochrista derelicta Pelochrista derelicta Derelict Pelochrista - Pelochrista derelicta Pelochrista derelicta? - Pelochrista derelicta Unknown Moth - Pelochrista derelicta Moth - Pelochrista derelicta
Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily Tortricoidea (Tortricid Moths)
Family Tortricidae (Tortricid Moths)
Subfamily Olethreutinae
Tribe Eucosmini
Genus Pelochrista
No Taxon (juncticiliana group)
Species derelicta (Derelict Pelochrista - Hodges#3120)

Hodges Number

3120

Other Common Names

Derelict Eucosma

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Pelochrista derelicta (Heinrich, 1929) (1)
Eucosma derelicta Heinrich, 1929 (2)
Misspelled "derelecta" in some sources.

Explanation of Names

Specific epithet is Latin meaning "abandoned, deserted."

Size

Wingspan about 12-18 mm. (2)

Identification

Adult - forewing has diagonal line from mid-costa to anal angle, with dark brown shading on proximal side, and light brown on distal side (some individuals have a tooth mid-way along the line); many fine squiggly lines cross the wing; dark grayish shading mid-way along outer margin extends into subterminal area; hindwing pale gray.
Genitalia:

Range

Eastern North america, Colorado, Washington and most of southern Canada from Nova Scotia to British Columbia. (2)
Holotype male: Tryon, North Carolina (Fiske, 8-13-04). (2)
Paratypes: Plummer's Island, MD (Busck, August, 1903); Essex County Park, NJ (Kearfott, July 22, Aug, 13); New Brighton, PA (Merrick, VII-26-07); Hampton, NH (S.A. Shaw, VII-25-1911); Hymers, Ontario (July 8-15); Kings County, Nova Scotia (14-July-25); Bilby, Alberta (O. Bryant, July 12,1924); Fraser Mills, British Columbia (L.E. Marmont(3), 10-VIII-20); Hot Springs, Green River, WA (July 8-15); Denver, CO ( Oslar).

Season

Adults have been recorded on Block Island, RI, from late June to early September, with abundance peaking in August.(4)

Food

Larvae feed on rootstalks of goldenrod (Solidago spp.). (2)

See Also

In California, Eucosma excusabilis is similar; it doesn't occur in the east (see pinned image by Todd Gilligan at tortricidae.com).
Eucosma juncticiliana and E. excusabilis distinguished by genitalia. Heinrich also mentions the shape of the outer margin but this does not seem supported by images at BOLD. (2)
Several other species in Pelochrista. See Remarks under P. comatulana.

Print References

Heinrich, C., 1929. Notes on some North American moths of the subfamily Eucosminae. Proceedings of the United States National Museum. 75: 13. (2)

Internet References

Live and pinned images at Moth Photographers Group

Works Cited

1.Revised world catalogue of Eucopina, Eucosma, Pelochrista, and Phaneta (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae: Eucosmini)
Todd M. Gilligan, Donald J. Wright. 2013. Zootaxa 3746(2): 301–337.
2.Notes on some North American moths of the subfamily Eucosminae
Carl Heinrich. 1929. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 75(2779): 1-23.
3.Checklist of the Lepidoptera of British Columbia, Canada.
Pohl, G.R., Cannings, R.A., Landry, J.-F., Holden, D.G., Scudder, G.G.E., . 2015. Entomological Society of British Columbia. 308 p.
4.Block Island Moths