Pseudopostega cretea

Pseudopostega cretea

''Pseudopostega cretea'' is a moth of the family Opostegidae. It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1920. It is known from the eastern half of North America from southern Canada south to northern Florida, west to south-eastern British Columbia and Texas.

The length of the forewings is 3.9–4.6 mm. Adults have been recorded from May to July in the southern United States and from June to August across the northern part of its broad range.

The occurrence of melanism in this species, first reported by Eyer (1966), appears more common than in any other species of Pseudopostega. Melanic individuals are known from Maine and Michigan but none from the southern part of the range. Other than color, no significant morphological differences were observed between the nonmelanic and melanic forms. Moreover, both forms (including melanics of varying degrees of pigmentation) have been collected at the same time and location. Eyer (1966) reported melanic specimens from both industrial and nonindustrial areas of the USA.
Pseudopostega cretea  Geotagged,Opostegidae,Pseudopostega cretea,Summer,United States,insect,lepidopera,micromoth,moth

Distribution

Known predominantly from the eastern half of North America from southern Canada south to northern Florida, west to southeastern British Columbia and Texas.
Pseudopostega cretea  Geotagged,Pseudopostega cretea,Summer,United States

Food

Larval host plant is unknown. Other species in the family Opostegidae are stem, leaf, or bark miners.

References:

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Davis, Donald R., and Jonas R. Stonis. A Revision of the New World Plant-Mining Moths of the Family Opostegidae (Lepidoptera: Nepticuloidea). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology, number 625, 212 pages, 503 figures, 19 maps, 2 tables, 2007. DOI: 10.5479/si.00810282.625
Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionArthropoda
ClassInsecta
OrderLepidoptera
FamilyOpostegidae
GenusPseudopostega
SpeciesP. cretea