Gelechia from sycamore - Gelechia albisparsella

closer to Gelechia albisparsella - Hodges #1929

closer to Gelechia albisparsella - Hodges #1929 which has the darker shading along the basal half of costa, more diffused pale subterminal line and is recorded in eastern states.

Gelechia desiliens - Hodges #1938 has pale, thinner st line, different dark spots arrangement and the larval host is Platanus ramosa (western sycamore) in California.(1)

… Maury J. Heiman, 1 July, 2011 - 8:55am

Thanks

I see what you mean about the wing coloration, although to me the spots on my moth don't particularly resemble the examples of either species on MPG. I'll change the name of the guide page and add that info. For whatever it's worth, the HOSTS Database does list P. occidentalis as a host for both species, and BAMONA shows both species occurring in Missouri (desiliens and albisparsella).

… Charley Eiseman, 1 July, 2011 - 9:56am

photos on BOLD

BOLD - Barcode of Life Data Systems

The G. desiliens range info came from Moth of Western North America(1), but always possible it occurs in your area.

Not sure how accurate the BAMONA maps are. Many of the records listed there are taken from reports and sighting posted on web based forums. There are some of mine listed that I did not send to them and were not yet in the Lep. Soc. season summary. The website says over 2,000 people have signed up with BAMONA this year and added more than 10, 000 sighting.
Thanks

… Maury J. Heiman, 1 July, 2011 - 11:08am

Moved

Moved tentatively, based on the information here... I suppose it's possible that G. albisparsella does the same thing.

… Charley Eiseman, 1 July, 2011 - 7:05am