170 The Ohio Journal of Science [Vol. XX, No. 5,. 



Elachista albicapitella Engel. 



In the latter half of March, overwintering leaves near the 

 base of the stems of tufts of Poa sylvestris were found mined by 

 larvae of this species. At this time most of the larvae were full 

 grown and preparing to pupate. In the early part of the mine, 

 the parenchyma is partially consumed, later the leaf blade 

 becomes rather inflated and almost all the parenchyma is eaten. 

 The larva often mines down into the sheath leaving it to enter 

 another leaf. The leaves attacked are those nearest the base 

 of the stem and are usually reddish. The larva doubtless begins 

 mining in the preceding autumn. 



Larva pale yellowish, first thoracic segment with two rather broad 

 dorsal stripes sometimes nearly confluent, becoming darker posteriorly 

 and each ending in a black spot, the spots sometimes confluent on the 

 posterior border of the segment; mid-dorsal line whitish. A slight 

 silken cocoon is spun of threads placed transversely to the pupa, which 

 is of the stout ovate type, with prominent rounded tubercles on the 

 sides of the mesothorax. 



The moths appear in May following a warm early spring or in 

 June if the season is less advanced. In this species the wing 

 markings, although shining white, lack the silvery luster of 

 E. sylvestris. 



Elachista leucofrons n. sp. 



Head blackish, slightly irrorated, with a creamy white patch across 

 the face below base of antennae, sometimes covering the whole face 

 below the antennse; palpi black below and at extreme apex, white 

 above, the white completely encircling the base of the third segment; 

 antennse fuscous annulate with gray. Thorax blackish, with tips of 

 tegulffi white; fore wings blackish, slightly irrorated, the irroration 

 sometimes fonning faint whitish lines of which two, one below and one 

 above the fold and parallel with it, are most often discernible. Wing 

 from extreme base of costa across to dorsum narrowly white; an irreg- 

 ular narrow white fascia at one-third, oblique in its costal half, nearly 

 perpendicular in its dorsal half; an erect narrow white spot at tornus, 

 and nearer apex, a similar costal spot, in one specimen nearly obsolete; 

 a distinct row of black atoms forming a line at base of the grayish black 

 cilia. Hind wings and cilia dark blackish brown. Legs except femora 

 blackish, with tips of all segments and basal half of hind tibiae, whitish. 

 Abdomen blackish brown above, entire body silvery beneath. Expanse: 

 9-10 mm. 



Type (cf) and five paratypes reared from larvae mining 

 leaves of Hystrix patiila, Cincinnati, Ohio; imagoes May 3-12; 

 one captured specimen May 23. 



