Two-spotted Dichomeris

Dichomeris leuconotella

''Dichomeris leuconotella'' is a moth in the Gelechiidae family. It was described by August Busck in 1904. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from Nova Scotia to Maryland, southern Canada, Washington, Colorado, Iowa and Indiana. The habitat consists of open fields.

The wingspan is about 17 mm. The forewings are dark purplish brown and shining. At the end of the cell is a conspicuous canary yellow, somewhat elongated, spot, and at apical third is a hardly visible triangular light-brown costal spot. The hindwings are dark fuscous. Adults are on wing from June to September.

The larvae feed on ''Solidago uliginosa'', ''Helianthus grosseserratus'' and ''Aster'' species.
Dichomeris leuconotella Dichomeris leuconotella Dichomeris,Dichomeris leuconotella,Geotagged,Summer,Two-spotted Dichomeris,United States

Naming

Dichomeris leuconotella Busck, 1904
Trichotaphe leuconotella Busck, 1904

Distribution

Records from across Canada and the northeast United States, west as far as Indiana, south as far as southern Ohio. One record from Denver, Colorado.

Habitat

Open fields.

Reproduction

Eggs laid singly on the underside of host leaf in summer. First and second instar larvae feed under or near elongate silk shelters. By third instar they pinch or fold the host leaf and feed within the shelter. Each larva constructs up to several leaf shelters before leaving the plant as a third or fourth instar larvae (3-4 mm) to overwinter in the leaf litter. The following spring larvae crawl back onto the host and begin several weeks of rapid feeding and growth. Larvae go through six or seven instars before pupating in folded leaf shelters in summer.

Food

Larvae are leaf folders goldenrods (Solidago) and asters.

References:

Some text fragments are auto parsed from Wikipedia.

http://mothphotographersgroup.msstate.edu/species.php?hodges=2299
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dichomeris_leuconotella
https://eol.org/pages/931291
https://bugguide.net/node/view/309009
https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/dichomeris-leuconotella
Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionArthropoda
ClassInsecta
OrderLepidoptera
FamilyGelechiidae
GenusDichomeris
SpeciesD. leuconotella