Family Blastobasidae 
Blastobasid Moths 
Blastobasid moths are small with long antennae. Long scales on the head often 
cover the face and base of the antennae. The scape of the antenna is broad and 
armed with a fringe of bristles, and the hindwings are narrower than the forewings. 
The larvae feed in the cones, nuts, and seeds of various trees; as scavengers in 
hollowed-out nuts or insect galls; or as predators on scale insects. 
Valentinia glandulella (Riley), the acorn moth, feeds in acorns, hickory nuts, 
and chestnuts in southern Ontario and southward throughout the oak region of the 
Eastern and Central States. Larvae are grayish white or yellowish, with blackish 
marks on top. 
Holcocera lepidophaga Clarke larvae feed mainly in male flower buds and 
flowers or among the basal scale leaves of young cones and vegetative buds of slash 
and longleaf pines in Florida. It has also been recorded from Massachusetts. The 
adult has a wingspread of 11 to 17 mm. The head is ochreous-white, with slight 
infuscation posteriorly; the antennae are ochreous-white with narrow, dark annula- 
tions; and the forewings are ochreous-buff. The larvae of Zenodochium coccivorella 
(Chambers) are internal parasites of female scale insects of the genus Kermes in 
Florida. 
Family Coleophoridae 
Casebearer Moths 
About 145 species of casebearer moths occur in North America. The adults are 
plain, little moths with markings limited to dustings of lighter or darker colored 
scales. The wings are narrow and have a wingspread of 12 mm or less. The larvae of 
all species feed within leaf mines in the first instar. At the end of this instar, each 
larva constructs a portable case in which it lives thereafter. The larvae of certain 
species continue to feed as miners after the first instar. Without leaving the case, the 
larva mines in a circle or from each side of the point of entrance into the leaf. The 
larvae of other species feed externally in the later instars. Their cases are con- 
structed from parts of the mined leaves and are lined with silk. They are enlarged by 
the larvae as needed, thus providing shelter at all times. The winter is spent as a 
partly grown larva in a case which is usually fastened securely to a twig or branch 
with silk. 
Coleophora tiliaefoliella Clemens constructs a black case on basswood. C. 
atromarginata Braun occurs on southern red and swamp white oaks. Its case is 
black with white markings on the underside. C. querciella Clemens occurs on 
white and swamp chestnut oaks. Its case is grayish with a black patch on the top 
near the rear end. C. a/niella Heinrich has been observed on beech in New York. 
The pecan cigar casebearer, C. /aticornella Clemens, occurs from New Eng- 
land to Florida and west through Texas. Its hosts are pecan, walnut, and various 
hickories. The adult is brownish and has a wingspread of about 10 mm. The larval 
case is brown, smooth, cigar-shaped, and about 6 mm long. The winter is spent as a 
partly grown larva in the case. Feeding is resumed in the spring on opening buds 
and young foliage. Damage is often serious (454). 
The elm casebearer, C. u/mifoliella McDunnough, an introduced species first 
observed in the vicinity of New York City in 1901, is widely distributed in the 
Northeastern States and also occurs in southern Ontario. Its hosts are English, 
Scotch, and various native elms. The female adult is buff, covered with gray 
markings, and has a wingspread of about 12 mm. 
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