Hellinsia unicolor (Barnes and McDunnough, 1913)

Matthews, Miller, Jacqueline Y., Mark & Goss, Gary, 2012, Observations of plume moths on North Andros Island, Bahamas, and notes on new records and species previously recorded from the Bahamas (Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae), Insecta Mundi 2012 (236), pp. 1-12 : 7-8

Hellinsia unicolor (Barnes and McDunnough, 1913)

Fig. 4a, b

Material Examined. Bahamas: Long Island, Stella Maris 28.ix.1988, at light, L. D. Miller and M. J. Simon, Acc. No. 1988-73 (1 male, slide DM 536).

Diagnosis. Wingspan 14.0–23.5. Forewings light buff or beige throughout or with area between veins Sc and radius with ecru or brownish gray scaling in fresh specimens. Within forewing lobes, veins R 5, M 3, Cu 1, and Cu 2, likewise traced with darker brownish gray scaling in fresh specimens. Hindwings brownish gray, body. Antennae, legs, and body light buff. Head with brownish gray to ochraceous basal scales. Abdomen with longitudinal brownish gray middorsal and subdorsal lines.

Life History. Larvae are stem and shoot borers of Eupatorium capillifolium (Lam.) Small. This plant occurs throughout most of the Bahamas archipelago, except for the extreme southeastern portion (Great Inagua, Turks and Caicos) ( Correll and Correll 1982). Young larvae feed in the shoots but re-enter the lower stem and roots as they mature. As in H. chlorias , reddish longitudinal bands may be present and the circular anal plate bears a pair of thorn-like projections. The larvae are distinct from the latter species in having a patterned head with the sculpted adfrontal sclerites and epicranial suture bordered by a contrasting pale, smooth area ( Matthews 2006). As in H. chlorias , larvae pupate within the stem gallery.

Distribution. Bahamas: Long Island; United States: Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Texas.

Comments. The diagnosis is based primarily on Florida specimens. The Long Island specimen is worn and bears only faint markings. The left valve saccular process is somewhat variable but within the range of variation seen in Florida specimens. In Florida, E. compositifolium Walter is an occasional host and additional hosts are used in the western states ( Matthews and Lott 2005).

Figures

Figure 3–5. Male genitalia of Hellinsia and Adaina: 3a) H. chlorias, slide DM 717; 3b) aedeagus, same individual; 4a) H. unicolor, slide DM 536; 4b) aedeagus, same individual; 5a) A. perplexus, slide DM 1625; 5b) aedeagus, same individual.