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Species Embola powelli - Hodges#2500.1

Tiny metallic-shiny moth - Embola powelli

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 Yponomeutoidea (Ermine Moths and kin)

Family Heliodinidae (Sun Moths)

Genus Embola

Species powelli (Embola powelli - Hodges#2500.1)

Hodges Number

2500.1

Explanation of Names

Author: Hsu, 2002

Size

forewing length 2.8 - 4.8 mm (1)

Identification

Adult - see Hsu's original description online (1)

Range

California and Arizona (Hsu) and New Mexico and Texas (based on BugGuide records)

Food

larval hosts are Mirabilas californica and M. tenuloba. Adults seen necturing on Asteraceae (Encelia, Haplopappus) and Nyctaginaceae ( Boerhavia_coccinea)

Life Cycle

larva enters host plant by boring a hole in the stem, pupation occurs in the stem and adult emerges through a hole bored by the larva (1)

Remarks

Neoheliodines are similar, but have three markings on the inner margin of the forewing not two, and the inner most marking does not form a transverse band across the wing.

Internet References

Moth Photographers Group

Works Cited

1.	Phylogenetic Relationships within Heliodinidae

Contributed by Charley Eiseman on 19 November, 2010 - 4:05pm
Additional contributions by James Bailey, Randy Hardy
Last updated 18 June, 2017 - 7:21pm

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