Chionodes sistrella explained

Chionodes sistrella is a moth in the family Gelechiidae. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from Alberta, Colorado, Texas, southern Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, California and Mississippi.[1] [2]

The wingspan is 9–10 mm. The forewings are deep black and pure silvery white, with a broad longitudinal black band in the middle of the wing, equidistant from the costal and dorsal edge, starting at base of the costa and reaching one-half of the length of the wing, where it turns sharply rectangularly upward, reaching the costal edge and thus inclosing a narrow, longitudinal costal white patch. The apical two-fifths are black, with two white large rounded opposite costal and dorsal spots. The rest of the wing have a nearly straight white fascia just outside the middle of the wing. The hindwings are silvery fuscous.[3] Adults are on wing from March to October.[4]

The larvae feed on Suaeda fruticosa, Suaeda moquini, Suaeda torreyana and Atriplex semibaccata.

Notes and References

  1. http://ftp.funet.fi/pub/sci/bio/life/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/gelechioidea/gelechiidae/gelechiinae/chionodes/ Chionodes at funet
  2. http://mothphotographersgroup.msstate.edu/species.php?hodges=2116 mothphotographersgroup
  3. https://archive.org/stream/proceedingsofuni251903unit#page/863/mode/1up Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 25 (1304) : 862
  4. http://bugguide.net/node/view/706098 Bug Guide