Tebenna gnaphaliella

Distinguished from other North American Tebenna species by host plant association and geographic range. Separation from the Palearctic Tebenna micalis requires dissection or molecular analysis; the two species are externally indistinguishable.

Very small moth with wingspan of approximately 10 mm. Overall appearance is extremely similar or identical to the Palearctic species Tebenna micalis.

Associated with herbaceous plants, particularly flowers where adults are commonly found. Larval habitat consists of leaves of host plants in the tribe Gnaphalieae.

United States, ranging from Florida to California and northward to at least New Hampshire.

Adults active June and July; at least two generations per year inferred from phenology.

Larvae feed on various plants in tribe Gnaphalieae (formerly genus Gnaphalium), specifically: Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium, Pseudognaphalium helleri, and Helichrysum species. Feeding occurs as leaf miners within host plant leaves.

• Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium - larval hostleaf miner
• Pseudognaphalium helleri - larval hostleaf miner
• Helichrysum - larval hostleaf miner; species not specified

Larval stage is a leaf miner. Multiple generations per year suggested, though complete developmental details are not documented.

Adults frequently found on flowers of herbaceous plants. Larvae mine within leaves of host plants.

• Tebenna micalisExternally identical or extremely similar in appearance; distinguished by Palearctic distribution and requires dissection or molecular analysis for definitive separation.

• BugGuide
• Wikipedia
• GBIF taxonomy match
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy