Bucculatrix solidaginiella Braun 1963

Bucculatrix solidaginiella new species Head white, antennae white, shading outwardly to pale fuscous in darkermarked specimens. Thorax and fore wings white, the wings marked with pale ocherous to brownish ocherous streaks ; a median streak from base to beyond one-third, usually broadening outwardly, but often faint or nearly absent; from basal third of costa an oblique streak, which may meet a second costal streak, slightly less oblique, which passes across the wing to a group of dark-tipped scales (rarely wanting) on termen; a third costal streak, less oblique than the second, crosses the wing to termen ; from middle of termen, a line of dark-tipped scales extends to apex, and is continued as a brown hair pencil to the tips of the apical cilia, contrasting with the white costal cilia ; cilia below apex brownish ocherous, with a line of dark scales which meets the apical brown pencil at about its middle ; just within the dorsal margin and near its middle, rarely touching the margin, an ocherous streak, lying mostly in the fold and sometimes attaining the second costal streak near termen, is marked on the fold by a few black scales, absent in pale specimens. Hind wings and cilia brownish ocherous, slightly darker in the male. Legs, including tarsal segments, wholly whitish. Abdomen whitish.
Alar expanse 11 to 12.5 mm.
Male genitalia (figs. 62, 62a). Apical costal area of harpe with heavy blunt conical setae (fig. 62a) ; socii diverging, very long, slender, enlarged distally, arising remote from tip of tegumen ; a slight sclerotization ventral to the alimentary canal suggests a rudimentary subscaphium ; aedeagus straight, slender and tapering to tip. Scale sac present.
Female genitalia (figs. 63, 63a, 63b). Anterior ventral margin of ostium sclerotized, lateral margins produced posteriorly and converging, the area thus enclosed microscopically spinulose ; ductus bursae expanding before ostium ; signum a broad ring, somewhat narrower dorsally, near posterior end of bursa and slightly constricting it; ribs regularly or irregularly spined, spines short.
Type— 8, C. Mo. (probably near St. Louis), on Solidago, 6/7, 85 (Miss Murtfeldt) and bearing the number 244 [U.S.N.M., Type No. 65013].
Allotype. — 2, same data as the type, except date of emergence 6/10, 85 Paratypes. — 36 8 , 36 2 , distributed as follows : 1 2 , same data as the type [U.S.N.M.]; 2 8,2 2, Missouri, labeled "on Solidago," June 6-9 (Murtfeldt Coll.) [Cornell U.] ; 1 8 , Putnam Co.. 111., June 25, 1950, " reared ex larva on Solidago" (M. O. Glenn) [U.S.N.M.] ; 1 8, Decatur, 111., June 17 [U.S.N.M.] ; 8 8, 6 2, Cincinnati, Ohio, June 17 to July 8 (A. F. Braun) [A.F.B.Coll.] ;
1 $,1 2 , Ft. Hill, Highland Co., Ohio, on Solidago idmifolia Muhl., rearing record B.2169, dates of emergence June 10, June 11 [A.F.B.Coll.]; 3 2, Oak Station, Allegheny Co., Pa., June 25, July 14, July 18 (Fred Marloff) [A.F.B. Coll. and U.S.N.M.); 1 8, Ocean View, Va. (W. D. Kearfott) [U.S.N.M.]; 8 8, 6 2, Essex Co. Park, N. J., June 29 to July 20 (W. D. Kearfott) [U.S.N.M.] ; 2 8, Essex Co. Park, N. J., June 29, June 30 ( W. D. Kearfott) [A.F.B.Coll.] ; 1 8,1 2, New Lisbon, N. J., June 24, June 26 (E. P. Darlington) [A.N.S.P.]; 1 8, Montclair, N. J., July 17 (W. D. Kearfott) [Cornell U] ; 1 8, E. Aurora, N. Y., July 25 ( W. Wild) [Cornell U.] ; 1 8, East River, Conn., July 10, 1909 (C. R. Ely) [U.S.N.M.]; 1 8,2 2, Martha's Vineyard, Mass., July 1, 18, 28; 1 2, without data ( F. M. Jones) [U.S.N.M.] ; 1 8, 4 9, Barnstable, Mass., June 30 to July 11 ( C. P. Kimball) [Kimball Coll.]; 1 8, Augusta, Maine, July 14 (A. E. Brower ) [Brower Coll.]; 1 c5 , 1 2, without locality, Pergande 3397, " Solidago" [U.S.N.M.] ; 1 2, White Pt. Bch., N. S., July 21, 1934 (J. McDunnough ) [C.N. Coll.] ; 1 2, Knowlton, Que., June 30 (J. McDunnough) [C.N. Coll. ] ; 2 2, Ottawa, Ont, June 13 ( C. H. Young) [C.N. Coll.] ; 1 8,2 2, Vineland Station, Ont, July 12, 13, "host Solidago" (W. L. Putman) [C.N.Coll.] ; 1 2 , Bottineau, N. D. (C. N. Ainslie) [U.S.N.M.] ;
2 2,12, Bonneville, Clark Co., Wn, July 14, 15 (J. F. G. Clarke) [U.S.N.M.] ; 1 8, Walla Walla, Wn., June 18 (J. F. G. Clarke) [U.S.N.M.].
The specimen in the National Museum chosen as the type bears a label " Bucculatrix solidaginiella Riley;" I am glad here to validate this manuscript name. Both the type and allotype are in unusually perfect condition.
A common and widely distributed species.
The larvae feed in the spring in the growing tips of young shoots of various species of Solidago, destroying the terminal bud, but barely boring into the tip of the stem. It is probable that a mine on a leaf is made in the preceding late summer or early autumn, as has been recorded for B. cuneigera Meyr., which displays habits identical with this species. The surface of the white cocoon is roughened, but the ridges are obsolete in all examples I have seen. Figures 30, 30a show variations in venation of the fore wings.
This species has been confused with both B. fusicola Braun and B. magnella Chambers, and specimens are thus misidentified in collections. From B. fusicola, it is separated by the costal streak which arises on the costa at basal third, instead of lying below it as in B. fusicola, and by the wholly whitish legs. B. magnella is characterized by the dark longitudinal streak from base to termen.

Bucculatrix solidaginiella is a species of moth in the family Bucculatricidae. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from Florida, Louisiana, Maine, Missouri, New Jersey, Mississippi and Ohio. It was described in 1963 by Annette Frances Braun.

The wingspan is 11-12.5 mm. The forewings are white, marked with pale ocherous to brownish ocherous. The hindwings are brownish ocherous. Adults are on wing from April to August.

The larvae feed on Solidago species. They feed in the growing tips of young shoots of their host plant, destroying the terminal bud, but barely boring into the tip of the stem. Pupation takes place in a white cocoon.