Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Eido trimaculella (Fitch, 1856)
Chaetochilus trimaculella Fitch, 1856
Venilia albapalpella Chambers, 1872 (
208)
Chimabacche haustellata Walsingham, 1882
Atheropla trimaculella
Anarsia albapulvella
Ypsolophus trimaculellus
Explanation of Names
Specific name
trimaculella is Latin meaning "three-spotted."
(1)Size
6 to 7 mm long. Wingspan 15-18 mm.
(2)Identification
Head: Grayish-brown, a few rough scales, but face smooth. Palpi thick, curved up over head; gray with a wide black stripe. Some white on 2nd segment, with a large tuft on last segment.
Antenna: Slender, about 2/3 as long as wing: Gray-brown with white rings.
Thorax: Grayish-brown.
Wings: Wide, sharp pointed tips. Grayish-brown to silvery-gray, dusted with white. Three yellowish-white marks along costa edge from mid-wing to tip (thus Triple-spotted). A row of yellowish-white dashes along wing tip margin, forming an overall V-shape. White dusting along the inner side of the V-shape pattern. Fringe unevenly checkered. Hindwings dark gray-brown. Fringe has brown line through it.
Legs: Each segment grayish-brown with a white tip. Underside silvery-white.
Abdomen: Grayish-brown on top, silvery-white on underside. Female has protruding, rough scaled ovipositor of 3 telescoping sections – half as long as abdomen.
Range
Eastern U.S., North Dakota; Canada.
Habitat
Deciduous forests. Moths can be found around hollow trees, walking with their wings elevated.
Season
Early June through July in north. May to August in south.
Food
Larvae feed on fungus, including
Piptoporus betulinus and
Fomes fomentarius.
(3)Life Cycle
Females deposit eggs on bracket fungus Tinder Polypore Fomes fomentarius and Birch Polypore Piptoporus betulinus. Larva feed under a silken web.
Remarks
Types:
Holotype as Choerochilus trimaculella by Fitch, 1856. Locality: New York State. In the United States National Museum, Smithsonian. Fitch's type in good condition and with his own large label attached.
Holotype as Venilia albapalpella by Chambers, 1872. Locality: Kentucky. Museum unknown.
Holotype as Anarsia albapulvella by Chambers, 1875. Locality: Canada. Museum unknown.
Holotype as Ypsolophus trimaculellus by Chambers, 1878. Locality: Canada. In Quebec Museum, Parliament Buildings, Quebec City as part of the Belanger Collection, Universite Laval. Now in the U.S. National Museum, Smithsonian and #5768.
Syntypes as Chimabacche haustellata by Walsingham, 1882. Locality: Orono, Maine. In U.S. National Museum, Smithsonian. Secured from Professor Fernald collection, identical with the type per Busck, 1902.
Print References
Busck, A. 1909. A generic revision of American moths of the family Oecophoridae, with descriptions of new species. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 35:
191-192 (2)
Fitch, A., 1856. First and second report on the noxious, beneficial and other insects of the state of New York.
233.
Hodges, R.W. 1974. Moths of America North of Mexico, Fascicle 6.2: p.132, pl.6.33
(3)
