Field Guide Descriptions: | Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, GBIF, BOLD | Technical Description, Adults: Braun, 1908. | |
Adult Markings: The following is based primarily on the description in Braun (1908). The antenna is brownish gray, and the face and palps are yellowish white. The scales of the tuft are pale brownish ocherous, and darker toward the tips. The thorax and forewings are deep reddish saffron. There is a rather broad median white basal streak that ends at one-third the wing length. The streak is faintly dark margined on the costal side and at its apex. Just before the middle of the wing there is a curved white fascia that is margined on its anterior side with dark brown scales. Beyond this are three costal and two dorsal white streaks that are also margined on their anterior side with dark brown scales. The dark margin on the last costal and dorsal streaks is often faint. The first dorsal streak is oblique and begins opposite the first costal streak, which is wedge-shaped and nearly perpendicular to the costa. The apex of the dorsal streak is separated from the apex of the second costal streak by a conspicuous gap. The second dorsal streak is above the tornus and points toward the second costal streak. A conspicuous black apical dot is present just below the third costal streak. The cilia are pale grayish brown with a dark brown marginal line that becomes darker toward the tornus. The hindwings and cilia are brownish gray, and the abdomen is dark brownish gray. The legs are pale brownish gray, and the tarsi are unspotted. |
Wingspan: Alar expanse 6.8 mm (Braun, 1908) |
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens. |
Immatures and Development: The larva forms an elongated tentiform mine on the lower leaf surface, and the loosened epidermis has a series of fine ridges (Eiseman, 2019). The larva does not spin a cocoon, but the half of the mine containing the pupa is sparingly lined with silk.
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Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants. |