Ottawa (Dunrobin), ON Canada

3 June 2005   10:36PM EST  (left)
12 May 2004   8:04PM EST  (right)

The identification of this specimen was based on Hodges, R.W., The Moths of North America North of Mexico, Fascicle 6.2, Gelechioidea Oecophoridae (London: E.W. Classey, 1974).  Most of the 11 or so species of Agonopterix known to occur in the Ottawa area appear very similar to each other, but Agonopterix curvilineella can generally be distinguished from the others by the short curved lines on its forewings.

The forewing of Agonopterix curvilineella is light yellowish gray to gray-brown overall, somewhat mottled in appearance by an overlay of darker gray to gray-brown scales.  Near the middle of the wing, there is a short curved line, dark brown to black in color, with its ends pointing towards the costa.  A whitish dot can sometimes be seen near the outer end of this curved mark. The fringe is a dull gray-beige in color. The hindwing is light brownish gray.  Hodges indicates a wing length of 6.5 to 9 mm.

Little is apparently known about the immature stages of Agonopterix curvilineella, but Hodges (1974) suggested that the adults probably emerge in summer and fall, and then hibernate.  My observations of late spring specimens may therefore be of adults that have hibernated through the previous winter.

My records to date for Agonopterix curvilineella (each date representing "the night of") are in the table below: