aster-head eucosma moth

(Eucosma tomonana)

Hodges #

2936

Conservation Status
IUCN Red List

not listed

NatureServe

NNR - Unranked

SNR - Unranked

Minnesota

not listed

 
aster-head eucosma moth
Photo by Babette Kis
 
Description

Aster-head eucosma moth is a common, small, leafroller moth. It occurs in the United States from Maine to North Carolina, west to Minnesota and eastern Texas. It occurs in southern Canada from Nova Scotia west to Manitoba.

Adults are found in open and shaded areas with their host plants. They have been observed from July through September, but their peak occurrence is in August. Larva are found in flower heads. The range of host species is uncertain. They have been recorded on New England aster, but they probably also feed on other aster species, and they may also feed on other composites in the Aster (Asteraceae) family.

Adults are ¼ (6 mm) in length and have a ½ to (12 to 15 mm) wingspan. Moth size is often given in terms of forewing length, which in this case is 316 to ¼ (5.5 to 7.0 mm).

The antennae are long and thread-like. They are held slightly curled when at rest. The finger-like sensory organs (palps) attached to the mouth are long and densely hairy. They are projected forward, appearing like a fuzzy snout. The head and palps are pale gray to reddish-brown, the same as the base color of the forewings.

The forewings are narrower at the base and wider at the rear, and the lateral margins are slightly curved, giving the moth a tapered appearance. They are pale brownish gray, and they are overlaid with fine gray lines, especially along the leading edge (costal margin). Each forewing has two large, dark brown spots near the middle at the inner margin. The front spot is in the shape of a half crescent, and the rear spot is a half circle. When the wings are closed, they form a crescent and a circle respectively. The spots often have a thin, pale beige or whitish border. There are two or more small black spots in the subterminal area near the inner margin (anal angle). There is no eyespot.

 

Size

Total length: ¼ (6 mm)

Forewing length: 316 to ¼ (5.5 to 7.0 mm)

Wingspan: ½ to (12 to 15 mm)

 

Similar Species

 
Habitat

Open areas that contain asters.

Biology

Season

July through September

 

Behavior

 

 

Life Cycle

 

 

Larva Hosts

New England aster, probably other asters, possibly other composites in the Aster (Asteraceae) family

 

Adult Food

 

Distribution

Distribution Map

 

Sources

4, 21, 29, 30, 75, 82, 83.

1/2/2025    
     

Occurrence

Common in the northeast, not common in Minnesota.

Taxonomy

Order

Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths)

Superfamily

Tortricoidea (tortricid leafroller moths and allies)

Family

Tortricidae (totricid leafroller moths)

Subfamily

Olethreutinae (olethreutine leafroller moths)

Tribe

Eucosmini

Genus

Eucosma

Section

Parmatana (aster and reddish eucosma moths and allies)

   

Genus
A recent phylogenetic analysis of the Eucosma, Pelochrista, and Phaneta genera (Gilligan et al., 2013) resulted in a complete reordering of the three genera and the creation of a new genus. The redefined Eucosma now includes nearly all North American (Nearctic) Phaneta, approximately half of the Nearctic species previously assigned to Eucosma or Pelochrista, and all Eurasian (Palearctic) species previously assigned to Eucosma except guentheri and lugubrana, which were transferred to Pelochrista.

Species
This species was formerly classified as Eucosma tomonana and was known by the common name aster-head phaneta moth. In 2013 it was transferred to the genus Eucosma and is now known by the common name aster-head eucosma moth.

   

Subordinate Taxa

 

   

Synonyms

Eucosma limigena

Phaneta tomonana

Thiodia tomonana

   

Common Names

aster-head eucosma moth

aster-head phaneta moth

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Anal angle

In insects: The angle at the corner of a wing formed where the outer and inner margins meet.

 

Costal margin

The leading edge of the forewing of insects.

 

 

 

 

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Babette Kis

Eucosma tomonana, Aster-head Eucosma moth

Eucosma tomonana, a very small (about 5 mm long) moth, was photographed at Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., WI on August 19, 2024.

aster-head eucosma moth   aster-head eucosma moth
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
   

 

   

 

 

Camera

Slideshows

Aster-head Phaneta Moth - Hodges#2936 (Phaneta tomonana)
Andrée Reno Sanborn

Aster-head Phaneta Moth - Hodges#2936 (Phaneta tomonana)

 

slideshow

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Babette Kis
8/19/2024

Location: Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., WI

Eucosma tomonana, a very small (about 5 mm long) moth, was photographed at Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., WI on August 19, 2024.

aster-head eucosma moth
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Created: 1/2/2025

Last Updated:

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