Helcystogramma melantherella

Helcystogramma melantherella
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Gelechiidae
Genus:	Helcystogramma
Species:	H. melantherella
Binomial name
	Helcystogramma melantherella; (Busck, 1900)[1]
Synonyms
	Trichotaphe melantherella Busck, 1900;

Helcystogramma melantherella is a moth in the family Gelechiidae. It was described by August Busck in 1900. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from North Carolina south to Florida and west to Texas and Arkansas.[2]

The wingspan is 12.5–13 mm.[3] The forewings are deep purplish brown, nearly black, with a satin luster. There is a short black streak before the middle of the wing, near the dorsal margin, edged anteriorly and posteriorly with a few white scales. There is also a small round black dot at the end of the cell, slightly edged posteriorly with white. A scarcely perceptible, outwardly angulated, narrow fascia of a paler shade is found at the apical fourth, terminating in a yellowish costal streak. The hindwings are dark purplish grey.[4]

The larvae feed on Calyptocarpus vialis, Cynara scolymnus, Melanthera nivea and Xanthium strumarium.

References

Moth Photographers Group at Mississippi State University
Helcystogramma at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
Bug Guide
Proceedings of the United States National Museum 23 (1208): 232

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

[1] Moth Photographers Group at Mississippi State University

[2] Helcystogramma at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms

[3] Bug Guide

[4] Proceedings of the United States National Museum 23 (1208): 232