Bucculatrix packardella
Chambers, 1873
Bucculatrix packardella is a minute in the Bucculatricidae, described by Vactor Tousey Chambers in 1873. It is one of approximately 100 described species in the Bucculatrix, commonly known as ribbed cocoon-maker moths. The species is documented from the northeastern and north-central United States and adjacent Canada.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Bucculatrix packardella: //ˌbʌk.jʊˈlæ.trɪks ˌpæk.ɚˈdɛl.ə//
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Identification
Identification to level requires examination of genitalia or other microscopic features; the extremely small wingspan (6-6.5 mm) places it among the smallest North American . Distinguishing B. packardella from is not possible from external alone based on current literature.
Distribution
Recorded from Ohio, Maine, Michigan, Ontario (Canada), Pennsylvania, Washington D.C., Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island. The distribution appears centered on the northeastern and north-central United States with extension into southeastern Canada.
Similar Taxa
- Bucculatrix canadensisellaOverlapping distribution in Ontario and northeastern states; both are minute ribbed cocoon-maker moths requiring dissection for reliable separation
- Other Bucculatrix speciesAll share similar minute size and general ; -level identification in this is notoriously difficult without genitalia examination
More Details
Taxonomic history
The was described by Vactor Tousey Chambers, a prominent 19th-century American entomologist who described numerous North American microlepidoptera. The specific epithet likely honors Alpheus Spring Packard, another influential entomologist of the period.
Genus characteristics
Members of Bucculatrix are known as ribbed cocoon-maker moths due to the distinctive longitudinal ridges on their cocoons. Larvae are typically leaf miners, though plant associations for many including B. packardella remain undocumented.