Descriptions of life-stages of Blastobasis repartella (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea: Coleophoridae: Blastobasinae) and observations on its biology in switchgrass

Authors

D. Adamski, Smithsonian InstitutionFollow
P. J. Johnson, South Dakota State UniversityFollow
A. A. Boe, South Dakota State UniversityFollow
Jeffrey Bradshaw, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Alan Pultyniewicz

Date of this Version

2010

Comments

Published in Zootaxa 2656: 41–54 (2010); Copyright 2010 Magnolia Press; Used by Permission

Abstract

Blastobasis repartella (Dietz) is a borer in the proaxis and basal nodes and internodes of above ground stems of Panicum virgatum L. (Poaceae). The adult and immature stages are described herein, including diagnoses of the adult and larva, as this insect may be easily confused with a closely related grass-feeding congener, Blastobasis graminea Adamski, which is also known to occur in the United States. The biology of B. repartella is described. Figures of the adult, illustrations of the male and female genitalia, wing venation, the chaetotaxy of the larva (supplemented with scanning electron micrographs), and pupa are provided. Bassus difficilis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is reported as a larval/pupal parasitoid of B. repartella. A new host record for Aethes spartinana (Barnes & McDunnough) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) is also reported.