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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Eriocraniid Moths (Eriocranioidea) » Eriocraniid Moths (Eriocraniidae)
Photo#964999
Unknown blue moth from Monte Bello OSP
Copyright © 2014 Ken-ichi Ueda

Unknown blue moth from Monte Bello OSP
Monte Bello Open Space Preserve, Santa Clara County, California, USA
July 19, 2014
Size: 5 mm
This might be the only blue moth I've ever seen, and it was tiny. Attracted to a BioQuip UV light in a park parking lot, coyote brush chaparral and grassland, with nearby oak/madrone hardwood forest, scattered conifers, dispersed residences.

Images of this individual: tag all
Unknown blue moth from Monte Bello OSP Unknown blue moth from Monte Bello OSP
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Contributed by Ken-ichi Ueda on 26 July, 2014 - 10:27am
Last updated 23 November, 2015 - 12:09pm

Moved
Moved from Moths. Don Davis said, "Yes I believe this is an eriocraniid, possibly xanthocara. Probably a dissection would be necessary for certainty."
… Kyhl Austin, 23 November, 2015 - 12:09pm login or register to post comments

Possible ID?
Perhaps Eriocraniella xanthocara or E. platyptera? The antennae don't look quite right though. I've forwarded this to Don Davis at the Smithsonian to see what he thinks.
… Kyhl Austin, 20 November, 2015 - 7:44pm login or register to post comments

 
other possibilities
I suspect this is one of Powell & Opler's "Primitive Lineages" (p. 33 of their book), maybe Stigmella or Tischeria. I just haven't found any pics of species in those genera that are metallic blue. Thanks for sending this along!
… Ken-ichi Ueda, 20 November, 2015 - 9:39pm login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from Tineoidea. I am not entirely convinced this is a Tineid and not one of the more primitive moths families like Micropterigidae or Eriocraniidae. Moved here for a second opinion.
… Kyhl Austin, 7 November, 2015 - 10:03pm login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from Moths.
… Marcia Morris, 6 September, 2015 - 9:06am login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… v belov, 21 August, 2014 - 3:34pm login or register to post comments

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