Species Argyresthia cupressella - Hodges#2450

2450

Cypress tip moth. (1)

Argyresthia cupressella Walsingham, 1890 (2), (3)

Phylogenetic sequence #360156

Specific epithet from the host plant genus (Cupressus). (2)

Busck (1907) listed the wingspan 8-9 mm. (3)

Walsingham, (1890) original description.

"Antennas, basal joint clothed with white hair-scales; stem distinctly annulated with black and white.

Palpi, short, depressed, ochreous.

Head, white.

Thorax, shining golden-brown.

Fore-wings, shining, mottled with golden-brown and creamy-white, the latter appearing in a broad, inwardly-oblique spot near the base of the dorsal margin, followed by a smaller costal spot at one-fourth from the base, and in an oblique and somewhat waved central fascia, wider and nearer to the base on the dorsal than on the costal margin, below which it is slightly bent outwards, followed by two costal and one dorsal spot of the same color; the first of the two costal spots is smaller than the second, and reaches almost, or quite, to the anal angle of the fascia, sometimes forming a separate costal fork of the fascia itself. About the apex are three or four small spots of a similar color, followed by a few black scales at the extreme tip ; cilia, pale golden. Underside, steely-gray, with an aureous tinge about the cilia.

Hind-wings, pale grayish, with a slight ochreous tinge in the cilia.

Abdomen, grayish, aual tuft ochreous.

Legs, whitish, tarsal joints faintly indicated above by slightly darker spots."

California to British Columbia. (4)

Described from Los Angeles, Clifornia.

Has been introduced in Europe. (1)

March to June. (5)

The larvae recorded on cypress species. (2)

There are many online sites covering the pest status of the species.

Busck, A., 1907. Revision of the American moths of the genus Argyresthia. Proceedings of The United States National Museum 32(1506), p. 10. Full text PDF (3)

Powell, J.A. & P.A. Opler, 2009. Moths of Western North America. University of California Press, p. 106; pl. 11, figs. 22, 23. (4)

Walsingham, L., 1890. Notes on the genus Argyresthia Hb., with descriptions of new species. Insect Life 3(3), p. 118. (2)

Moth Photographers Group (5)

Oregon State University

University of California, Davis

The Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) (1)