Chrysoesthia lingulacella
(Clemens, 1860)
silver-banded moth
Chrysoesthia lingulacella, commonly known as the silver-banded , is a gelechiid moth described by James Brackenridge Clemens in 1860. It is recognized by its distinctive golden-yellow forewings with complex silvery and golden-brown markings. The larvae are leaf miners that feed specifically on Chenopodium album.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Chrysoesthia lingulacella: /ˌkrɪsoʊˈiːsθiə ˌlɪŋɡjʊləˈsɛlə/
These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.
Identification
The complex forewing pattern with golden-yellow ground color, trapezoidal costal patch, and multiple iridescent silvery streaks distinguishes this from other North American Chrysoesthia. The specific arrangement of silvery markings—particularly the broad streak margined internally by the trapezoidal patch and the streak pointing into costal cilia—provides diagnostic characters. Hindwings are plain dark brownish without pattern.
Distribution
North America: recorded from Alberta and Quebec in Canada; Arizona, California, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, New Hampshire, and Texas in the United States.
Diet
Larvae feed on Chenopodium album (lamb's quarters). : feeding habits not documented.
Host Associations
- Chenopodium album - larval larvae mine the leaves
Life Cycle
Larvae mine leaves of plant. occurs outside the mine.
Behavior
Larvae create leaf mines in plant foliage.
Similar Taxa
- Other Chrysoesthia speciesShare -level traits of small size and gelechiid ; distinguished by specific forewing pattern elements described for C. lingulacella
More Details
Original description
Described by James Brackenridge Clemens in 1860 under the basionym Nomia lingulacella.
Observation frequency
iNaturalist records indicate relatively few observations (approximately 20), suggesting it may be underreported or genuinely uncommon.