Ottawa (Dunrobin), ON Canada

26 June 2007  (date of moth capture)  (left and right)
Both photographs are of the same specimen.

My identification of Euclemensia bassettella was based on Hodges, R.W., Gelechioidea: Cosmopterigidae, in Dominick, R.B. et al., The Moths of North America North of Mexico, Fascicle 6.1 (London: E.W. Classey and The Wedge Entomological Research Foundation, 1978). Some additional information was also obtained from Forbes, William T.M., The Lepidoptera of New York and Neighboring States, Primitive Forms, Microlepidoptera, Pyraloids, Bombyces (Ithaca, New York: Cornell University, 1923).

The forewing of Euclemensia bassettella is mainly deep reddish orange with black markings.  A short black bar extends outward in the basal area, near the costa.  There is a broad black streak along the inner margin, beginning at about one-third of the way out from the base, and tapering most of the way around the outer margin as well, adjacent to the black fringe.  There is also a shallow, elongated black triangle at the middle of the costa, enclosing a small whitish or yellowish spot at the inner end.  This black triangle is followed by a narrow yellowish white streak along the costa to the apex.  There appear to be raised scales or scale tufts on the basal black bar and at the inner end of the black streak along the inner margin.  The thorax is black.  The outer ends of the antennae are whitish.  Overall, the moth has a very smooth, sleek appearance, with somewhat metallic reflections.   Hodges (1978) indicates a wing length ranging from 4.0 to 6.2 mm.

According to Hodges (1978), the larva of Euclemensia bassettella is an internal parasitoid on armored scales (Kermes species). He indicates the adult moth flies from early May through early September.

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