Antispila nysaefoliella explained

Antispila nysaefoliella (tupelo leafminer moth) is a species of moth of the family Heliozelidae. It is found in south-eastern North America.

The wingspan is about 8 mm. Adults are on wing in spring.

The larvae feed on Nyssa sylvatica. They mine the leaves of their host plant. The mine is blotch-shaped and tends to expand radially and typically becomes more oblong-shaped at later instars. The larva feeds with its dorsal side facing the lower leaf surface.[1] Low (2008) observed that the larvae are able to make sounds using sclerotized structures on their dorsum and tail.[1] The last instars form an oval-shaped double-sided shield by encasing themselves with silk between the upper and lower mine layers. They then cut the shield and descend into the leaf litter for pupation.[2] Larvae can be found from late August to early September.

Notes and References

  1. Low. Candace. Seismic Behaviors of a Leafminer, Antispila nysaefoliella (Lepidoptera: Heliozelidae). Florida Entomologist. 2008. 91. 4. 604-609. 10.1653/0015-4040-91.4.604. free.
  2. Web site: Natural History of the Tupelo Leafminer. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160821103130/http://www.eeb.cornell.edu/clow/tupeloleafminer.html. 21 August 2016. Low. Candace. Cornell University.