LepidopteraGelechiidae – Twirler Moths

Chionodes bicostomaculella - Hodges#2064

Chionodes bicostomaculella

This record describes Chionodes bicostomaculella (species). Recorded family: Gelechiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.

Identification and Appearance

Chionodes bicostomaculella - Hodges#2064 - Chionodes bicostomaculella — Contributed by Charley Eiseman; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Robert Lord Zimlich , Chuck Sexton , dennepj10 , Blocky

In the East, this species can be separated from other members of the C. formosella complex by the lack of yellow scaling. This species has a slate-gray appearance, with no yellow or orange. Note that according to Hodges' fascicle, genitalia cannot be used to separate the members of the Chionodes formosella complex. Wing coloration is used to differentiate between the species. Hodges (1999) was unable to locate the type specimen(s) but located a specimen identified by Chambers which he designated as neotype. His description should be followed even though it seems to deviate from that of Chambers.

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily: Gelechioidea
Family: Gelechiidae (Twirler Moths)
Subfamily: Gelechiinae
Tribe: Gelechiini
Genus: Chionodes

Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.

Diet and Behavior

Diet: Quercus

Additional species information

Species notes from the sources

Etymology: Latin : Bi (two) + costo (costa) + macul (spot) + ella (small) = two little costal spots?

About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group

Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Chionodes bicostomaculella. Species-specific details appear above.

Group overview

Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.

Ecological role of the group

Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.

Economic and practical significance of the group

Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.

Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.

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