Pseudotelphusa basifasciella - Hodges#1868
Pseudotelphusa basifasciella
This record describes Pseudotelphusa basifasciella (species). Recorded family: Gelechiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult: forewing slender, white with two black spots along costa and several smaller spots and speckling near outer margin; thick black oblique band in basal area angles backward from costa almost to inner margin; hindwing whitish basally, shading to gray distally, with very wide pale gray fringe By creating leaf-tie shelters early in the season, and then vacating them shortly afterward, larvae of an undescribed Pseudotelphusa species in Missouri make shelters available to various other insects, increasing the diversity of leaf-eating insects on oak trees during the summer (see PDF article in Print References below).
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Gelechioidea
- Family
- Gelechiidae (Twirler Moths)
- Subfamily
- Gelechiinae
- Tribe
- Litini
- Genus
- Pseudotelphusa
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Texas and Arkansas to Georgia, north to Maryland
Seasonal Activity
adults fly in late spring and summer
Diet and Behavior
Diet: no information on this species larvae of an undescribed Pseudotelphusa species in Missouri feed on leaves of oak at least two other Pseudotelphusa species may feed on birch and serviceberry, judging from their specific epithets amelanchierella ( Amelanchier =serviceberry) and betulella ( Betula =birch)
Life History
no information on this species an undescribed Pseudotelphusa species in Missouri lays eggs in spring on leaves of oak as soon as the leaves have fully opened; larvae tie two overlapping leaves together with spun silk, creating a shelter within which they feed, skeletonizing the inner surface of the tied leaves; larvae mature in about 2 weeks, then drop to the ground to pupate
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: BASIFASCIELLA: translates approximately to "basal band"; probably refers to the prominent black band near the base of the forewing
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Pseudotelphusa basifasciella. 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.
Photos of Pseudotelphusa basifasciella - Hodges#1868 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Maury Heiman , Chuck Sexton
Frequently Asked Questions About Pseudotelphusa basifasciella - Hodges#1868
What is Pseudotelphusa basifasciella - Hodges#1868?
Pseudotelphusa basifasciella - Hodges#1868 (Pseudotelphusa basifasciella) is a species in the family Gelechiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Pseudotelphusa basifasciella - Hodges#1868?
wingspan 10-15 mm.
How do you identify Pseudotelphusa basifasciella - Hodges#1868?
Adult: forewing slender, white with two black spots along costa and several smaller spots and speckling near outer margin; thick black oblique band in basal area angles backward from costa almost to inner margin; hindwing whitish basally, shading to gray distally, with very wide pale gray fringe
Where is Pseudotelphusa basifasciella - Hodges#1868 found?
Range: Texas and Arkansas to Georgia, north to Maryland
What does Pseudotelphusa basifasciella - Hodges#1868 eat?
The diet of the Pseudotelphusa basifasciella - Hodges#1868 includes no information on this species larvae of an undescribed Pseudotelphusa species in Missouri feed on leaves of oak at least two other Pseudotelphusa species may feed on birch and serviceberry, judging from their specific epithets amelanchierella ( Amelanchier =serviceberry) and betulella ( Betula =birch).
When is Pseudotelphusa basifasciella - Hodges#1868 active?
Pseudotelphusa basifasciella - Hodges#1868: seasonal activity - adults fly in late spring and summer.
What is the life cycle of a Pseudotelphusa basifasciella - Hodges#1868?
no information on this species an undescribed Pseudotelphusa species in Missouri lays eggs in spring on leaves of oak as soon as the leaves have fully opened; larvae tie two overlapping leaves together with spun silk, creating a shelter within which they feed, skeletonizing the inner surface of the tied leaves; larvae mature in about 2 weeks, then drop to the ground to pupate