Chionodes sistrella

Chionodes sistrella is a moth in the Gelechiidae family.^[1] It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from Alberta, Colorado, Texas, southern Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, California and Mississippi.^[2][3]

The wingspan is 9–10 mm. The forewings are deep black and pure silvery white, with a broad longitudinal black band in the middle of the wing, equidistant from the costal and dorsal edge, starting at base of the costa and reaching one-half of the length of the wing, where it turns sharply rectangularly upward, reaching the costal edge and thus inclosing a narrow, longitudinal costal white patch. The apical two-fifths are black, with two white large rounded opposite costal and dorsal spots. The rest of the wing have a nearly straight white fascia just outside the middle of the wing. The hindwings are silvery fuscous.^[4] Adults are on wing from March to October.^[5]

The larvae feed on Suaeda fruticosa, Suaeda moquini, Suaeda torreyana and Atriplex semibaccata.

References