ANNETTE F. BEAUN 
187 
especially true of the generation which passes the winter in the 
cocoon. 
There are two generations; mature larvae are found in July 
and in September. 
The creamy white fascia and cilia, together with the pale bases 
of the scales, distinguish this species. 
37. Neptieula variella Braun 
Neptiada variella Braun, Ent. News, xxi, 173, 1910. 
Tuft pale ocherous to ochraceous, with an occasional admixture of fuscous 
scales; collar and eye-caps creamy. Thorax dark fuscous. Ground color of 
fore wings sordid cream color, which in most specimens is almost overlain with 
fuscous, leaving only the apex of the wing and a more or less distinct fascia 
at the apical third of the ground color. Sometimes the dusting of the basal 
two-thirds of the wing is less dense, occasionally lacking toward the costal or 
dorsal margins, rarely reduced to a few scattered scales. Cilia fuscous, 
sometimes creamy around the apex. Hind wings gray, the basal half in the 
male overlain with purplish black scales. Abdomen and legs above fuscous, 
silvery beneath. 
Expanse. — 5.5 to 7.5 mm. 
Locality . — Alameda County, California (Pilate). 
The larvae form serpentine mines on leaves of California live 
oak {Quercus agrifolia), and on deciduous oaks. The length of 
the mine varies, being longer on the thinner-leaved deciduous 
oaks. Cocoon yellowish brown. Larvae mining leaves in 
January produce imagoes in late Februaiy and in March. 
38. Nepticula platanella Clemens 
Nepticula platanella Clemens, Proc. Ent. Soc. Phila., i, 83, 1861; ii, 133, 1862; 
Tin. No. Am., 173, 183, 192, 1872; Busck, Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash., v, 209, 
1903; Dyads No. 6209. 
Syn. maximella Chambers, Can. Ent., v, 126, 1873; Dyar’s No. 6202. 
Tuft pale ocherous to ochraceous; eye-caps silvery white. Thorax and fore 
wings dark brown with a bluish luster. At the middle of the costal margin is 
a small oblique silvery streak, and opposite it on the dorsal margin is a similar 
streak, usually larger than the costal streak and broader on the margin. 
Rarely both spots are very minute. Occasionally these two streaks meet, 
forming a more or less interrupted concave fascia. Last row of scales around 
the apex pale yellowish at their bases, thus forming a dark line in the whitish 
cilia. Hind wings yellowish fuscous, in the male with a sword-shaped yel 
lowish chitinous plate on the upper side from base to near middle of costa, 
margined along the costa with bristly black scales. Beyond this the costa is 
excised. Legs fuscous above. Abdomen fuscous above, with ocherous anal 
tuft. 
Expanse.— b.b to 7 mm. 
TRANS. AM. ENT. SOC., XLIII. 
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