Comment: Edwardsiana is a tough genus to identify. First, it closely resembles some of the other 'non-descript yellowish' genera and species within Typhlocybini such as Zonocyba and Fagocyba. For example, it could be confused with with Ossiannilssonola serrula, which tends to have a similar yellowish coloration. However, the wing venation is different- in Ossiannilssonola, the apical crossveins tend to more or less form a line, whereas Edwardsiana (like Empoa) has a jagged, zigzag apical crossvein pattern. A detailed pic of the wings is therefore necessary to get a ense of which genus these yellowish individuals belong to. Furthermore, Edwardsiana is a more slender genus, with comparatively longerwings and a thinner but longer head.
Second, there are a number of Edwardsiana species in North America, some native (particularly further West) but many introduced from the Old World, and most of these various species likely can't be identified from pics alone as they tend to have a similar yellowish coloration. In the eastern United States, these species include the following: ariadne, candidula, lethierryi, plebeja, prunicola, and rosae.
E. rosae has been recorded once in North Carolina, but since there are multiple Edwardsiana species in the eastern United States that could potentially also occur in North Carolina, this page will serve as a catch-all for members of this genus that are only photographed. Further collecting of Edwardsiana will help reveal whether any species other than rosae occur in North Carolina. |