94 William T. M. Forbes 



The larvae mine leaves of wild pear (Pyrus communis) and cultivated pear, 

 making rather short, serpentine tracks, often not exceeding 2 cm. but sometimes 

 reaching 3 cm. in length, and broadening to 1.5 to 2 mm. across at the end. There 

 are three generations a year. Mined leaves may be collected in early June, in July, 

 and during the last part of August. 



Its paler color, with the absence of purple, the narrow wings, and its smaller 

 size distinguish this species from Nepticula pomivorella. 



38. Nepticula flavipedella Braun. Tuft usually dark brown, collar creamy white; 

 rarely tuft reddish ocherous on the face, and brown on the vertex; eye-caps creamy 

 white. Thorax dark purplish brown. Fore wings dark brown, with dark blue 

 and purple reflections; cilia with silvery tips. Fore legs, except the femora, 

 dark brown; middle legs pale silvery, tarsi pale ochercus; hind legs silvery, tibiae 

 dark brown, tarsi pale ocherous. 3.5 to 4.5 mm. 



Ohio ; Kentucky. 



The mine is a very characteristic linear tract, found most commonly on pin and 

 swamp white oak, but occasionally on other species of oak. The larva, for the 

 first few millimeters, mines near the upper surface, making a very narrow indis- 

 tinct mine. Then the mine, is slightly but abruptly enlarged and for a' length 

 of 8 or 9 mm., the leaf substance is entirely consumed and the mine rendered 

 transparent. Then follows another enlargement, and the mine, often much con- 

 torted, increases very gradually in breadth to the end where it measures 2 mm. 

 across. The latter part of the mine is not transparent, but the mine is distinctly 

 visible. 



There are three generations a year. Mined leaves may be collected during early 

 June, the latter half of July, and the early part of September. 



Though very distinct in larval work, this species in the imaginal state is almost 

 indistinguishable in appearance from N. castanecefoliella. The yellowish middle 

 and hind tarsi and the deeper purple suffusion of the fore wings are, however, 

 constant differences. 



39. Nepticula castaneaefoliella Chambers. Tuft black; collar, eye-caps, and palpi 

 creamy white. Thorax and fore wing dark brown, with slight bronzy and purple 

 reflections; tips of scales somewhat darker, so that under a lens the wing is 

 slightly irrorated, especially toward the apex. Cilia silvery at the tips. Pos- 

 terior tibiae and fore legs, except the femora, dark brown; legs otherwise whitish. 

 4 to 4.5 mm. 



Kentucky; Ohio; Virginia. 



The larvae form very long, -much contorted, linear mines in the leaves of chest- 

 nut (Castanea dentata) and oak. They measure but uttle over 1 mm. in width at 

 the end, and have a fine, central line of frass. 



40. Nepticula latifasciella Chambers. Tuft on the face ocherous, dark brown 

 <>n the vertex; collar and eye-caps creamy. Thorax and extreme base of fore 

 wings creamy-buff. Remainder of fore wing deep purple-brown, with a very 

 broad, creamy-buff fascia just before the middle; two or three creamy-buff scales 

 at the extreme apex, forming with the creamy-white cilia around the apex, 

 conspicuous pale spot. Cilia elsewhere gray. 4 to 4.5 mm. 



The larvae mine leaves of oaks, and probably chestnut. Although the mine 

 varies in length from 3 to 5 cm. on different species of oak, with a breadth of 

 about 1.5 mm. at its end it has in general the same appearance. The frass is 

 at first deposited in a broad, blackish line through the center, later dispersed 

 across the entire breadth, and, toward the end, collected into a broad band. 



This is one of the earliest species to appear in the spring; the moths may be 

 found resting on tree trunks during the latter part of April. Mines may be 

 found in June, the latter part of July, in September, and often during late 

 October. 



41. Nepticula crataegifoliella Clemens. Tuft ocherous, faintly tinged with red 

 above. Antennae ocherous, partly suffused with fuscous; eye-caps ocherous. Thorax 



