276 William T. M. Forbes 



17. G. banksiella Buack. Blackish. Palpus light gray on dorsum of second 

 segment and extreme apex of third; antennae narrowly ringed with white. Fore 

 wing with white powdering at apex, and indicating a broken postmedial fascia; 

 disc of wing occupied with several rounded, even, chocolate or yellow-brown spots, 

 which are often confluent into an irregular patch; and a more diffuse band on 

 fold and inner margin. First two segments of abdomen yellow on dorsum (as 

 usual in the genus). 12 mm. 



Moth in July and August. Caterpillar on Solidago. 



Massachusetts to western Pennsylvania. New York: Essex County, Batavia, 

 East Aurora, Otto, Ithaca, Sea Cliff. 



18. G. alaricella Busck. Powdery fuscous gray, the dominant scales with dull 

 luteous base and white tip; intermixed with yellow scales, which tend to gather 

 in numerous obscure longitudinal streaks. Discal dots black, rather elongate, 

 obscurely ocellate with the yellow. Costal edge blackish, contrasting. Palpi 

 powdery gray with a narrow basal and a broader outer ring on third segment. 

 Antennas annulate. 18-25 mm. 



Western Pennsylvania. 



4. PHTHOBIMCEA Meyrick 

 (Bryotropha; Lit a; Oelechia, in part) 



This genus is closely similar to Gnorimoschema. The white-tipped scales are 

 perhaps less frequent. The third segment of the palpus averages more smoothly 

 scaled. The male has a heavy pencil of hair at the base of the hind wing above, 

 distorting the venation. The known caterpillars all feed on Solanaceae and appear 

 to be rather similar in habits. The names " potato tuber moth " and " tobacco 

 splitworm " apply especially to P. operculella, but some of the accounts of injury 

 seem to be based on other species. The species are close and difficult to recognize, 

 P. operculella and glochinella being often indistinguishable in the female. 



Key to the species 



1. Fore wing with a couple of longitudinal black stripes 2. striatella. 



1. Fore wing not black-striped. 



2. Strongly mottled with dark brown, with a series of dark spots along costa 



outwardly 4. marmorella. 



2. With only the ordinary dots and a faint series of terminal dots dark. 



3. Expanse 7 mm ( 1 ) minor. 



3. Expanse over 10mm. 20 



4. Normally larger, yellow scaling more distinct and forming well marked 

 longitudinal streaks; male with large dorsal and ventral flat lobes to 



genitalia, covering the valves 1. operculella. 



4. Normally smaller; yellow scaling obscure and usually not gathering 

 into longitudinal lines, sometimes practically absent; male with dorsal 

 and ventral lobes small and tapering; valves slender, claw-like, 

 exposed 3. glochinella. 



1. P. operculella Zeller. Powdery gray, streaked between the veins with pale 

 ochreous. Head pale, usually cream white; palpi similar, with a few gray scales. 

 Antennas grayish, annulate with dull black. 12-16 mm. {Bryotropha solanella 

 Boisduval). 



This species breeds continuously in the warmer season in stored potatoes, having 

 many broods a year. The caterpillar is whitish, often with some pink or green 

 shade, with a black head and cervical shield. Typically, when young it is a leaf- 



20 See also Gnorimoschema awenopis. 



