Greya solenobiella Walsingham 1880

Greya solenobiella (Walsingham)

Incurvaria solenobiella Walsingham, 1880:82; 1888:146.—Riley in Smith, 1891:96, no. 5124.—Dyar, 1903 (“1902”):569, no. 6485.

Greya solenobiella (Walsingham).—Busck, 1903:194.—Kearfott in Smith, 1903:123, no. 7023.—Dietz, 1905:39, 40, 92.—Barnes and McDunnough, 1917:196, no. 8441.—Braun, 1921:21.—McDunnough, 1939:109, no. 9809.—Davis, 1983:4.

ADULT (Figures 281–284).—Wing expanse: , 11–18 mm; , 9.5–14.5 mm.

Head: White to gray in male, usually white in female. Antenna 0.5–0.65 × the length of the forewing; 33–39-segmented, with basal 5 () to 13 () segments covered with white to gray scales dorsally. Maxillary palpus white to light gray; all four segments short and of approximately equal lengths; palpus rarely 3-segmented. Labial palpus with basal two segments mostly white; apical segment heavily suffused with gray to entirely grayish fuscous.

Thorax: Dorsum white to gray. Venter white to pale gray; legs white below, pale gray to fuscous dorsally. Forewing white, heavily irrorated with an almost equal amount of grayish fuscous; female generally more white; a faint pattern of white streaks usually evident as follows: a long, submarginal band, parallel to termen; a short, subapical band from costa directed obliquely toward, but usually not touching, submarginal band; a subtornal, sometimes triangular spot, at outer fourth of hind margin; a similar spot sometimes visible along basal third of hind margin; maculation generally more distinct in females, in some specimens appearing washed out and glazed; occasional males may completely lack wing pattern; cilia gray, intermixed with white in male, usually entirely white in female, in some individuals with a very narrow dark band at base along part of termen. Hindwing uniformly gray.

Abdomen: Uniformly gray to white, usually slightly lighter ventrally.

Male Genitalia (Figures 343–346): Very similar to other members of the solenobiella group. Uncus superficially bilobed. Vinculum-saccus Y-shaped, nearly 2 × length of valva, but variable in length. Valva broad to pollex, then abruptly narrowing to relatively small, rounded cucullus; pollex short, less than the width of valva at base of pollex, terminating in a single, short, spinose seta. Rarely a double spine is present, or it may be lost on at least one valva. Apical spines on cucullus reaching pollex (or nearly so) as a narrow band. Juxta with anterior end long, acuminate, gradually flaring to broad, caudal third. Aedoeagus with a single, sinuate cornutus at apex.

Female Genitalia (Figures 244–246, 372): Apex of ovipositor compressed, subacute, minutely serrulate. A pair of stellate signa present, approximately equal in size, but sometimes one reduced; rays highly variable in size and number, usually 12–18 rays, although rarely reduced to as few as 2 or increased to more than 25.

EGG.—White, pyriform, 0.35–0.45 mm.

LARVA AND PUPA.—Unknown.

TYPE.—Lectotype, (present designation): “Type; Russian River, Sonoma Co., California, 19.V.1871, Wlsm. 90653; Walsingham Collection, 1910-427; genitalia slide 15217; Incurvaria solenobiella Wlsm., Pr. Z. Soc. Lond. 1880, 82–3, Type ; Lectotype , Incurvaria solenobiella Wlsm., by D. Davis;” in the Natural History Museum, London.

TYPE LOCALITY.—Russian River near Fitch Mtn., ~3 km east of Healdsburg, Sonoma Co., California.

HOST.—Yabea microcarpa (Umbelliferae).

FLIGHT PERIOD.—Late March to end of May.

DISTRIBUTION (Map 6).—This species is largely restricted to the extreme west coast of the United States from Josephine County in southwestern Oregon south to Los Angeles County, California. Altitudinal range, sea level to 1500 m.

HABITAT.—Grassy areas in dry to moderately moist oak or mixed deciduous forest. Many known sites are located in the oak-pine transition zone.

MATERIAL EXAMINED.—235 males and 181 females.

UNITED STATES: CALIFORNIA: Alameda Co: Del Valle Lake: 1, 3 May (UCB); 1, 29 Apr (UCB); 1, 30 Apr (UCB). Butte Co: Chico, 1, 18 Apr (CAS). Feather Falls trail, 690–715 m: 1, 1, 2 May (OP). Pentz: 1, 5 Apr (CAS). El Dorado Co: 4 km E Auburn, 300 m: 1, 2 May (OP). Cosumnes River at Somerset: 1, 24 May (UCB). Fresno Co: Big Panoche Creek, on San Benito Co border: 1, 2, 21 Apr (UCB). Ciervo Hills 18 air-miles [28.8 km] SW Mendota: 6, 21 Mar (UCB). 6 mi [9.6 km] S Coalingua: 1, 30 Mar (UCB). Humboldt Co: 5 mi [8 km] NW Briceland: 1, 1, 20 May (UCB); 1, 21 May (UCB). 0.5 mi [800 m] W Briceland: 3, 6, 10 May (UCB). 2 mi [3.2 km] W Briceland: 2, 3, 21 May (UCB). 1 mi [1.6 km] W Hoopa: 1, 2 Jul (CAS). Kern Co: Democrat Hot Springs along Kern River, 2000 ft [600 m]: 1, 22 Apr (RL). Lake Co: Mt. San Hedron: 2, 27 Apr (CNC); 1, 2, 27 Apr (USNM). Los Angeles Co: Specific locality unknown: 1, Mar (BMNH); 2, Mar (USNM). Marin Co: Alpine Lake: 2, 25 Apr (UCB). 2 mi [3.2 km] N Alpine Lake: 1, 7 May (DLW). NE ridge above Bon Tempe Lake: 1, 16 Apr (UCB). 2 mi [3.2 km] SW Fairfax, near Meadow Club: 1, 17 Apr (CAS). 2 mi [3.2 km] W Fairfax: 1, 21 Apr (UCB). Lily Gulch on Alpine Lake, 230 m: 3, 26 Apr (OP). Lily Lake near Alpine Lake, 680–720 ft [200–215 m]: 1, 15 Apr (UCB). W Novato: 10, 5, 5 Apr (CAS); 2, 19 May (CAS). Vicinity of Phoenix Lake: 1, 8, 3 May (CAS). Ring Mtn. 1 mi [1.6 km] SE Corte Madera: 1, 30 Apr (UCB). Mariposa Co: 3 mi [4.8 km] N Bagby: 1, 25 Mar (UCB). Mendocino Co: Head of Dry Creek: 2 (paralectotypes), 24 May (BMNH); 1, 1 (paralectotypes), 24 May (USNM). Mouth of Albion River [near Albion]: 2 (paralectoypes), 30–31 May (BMNM); 1 (paralectotype), 30–31 May (USNM). 1 mi [1.6 km] N Pierce: 1, 20/23 May (UCB). W Ukiah, mile 9.4 along Rte 253, 660 m: 2 (OP). Monterey Co: Arroyo Seco: 1, 2, 15 Apr (UCB); 1, 15 Apr (USNM). 1.5 mi [2.4 km] SW Arroyo Seco Guard Station, 1300 ft [390 m]: 1, May (UCB). Cachagua Creek 3 mi [4.8 km] SE Jamesburg: 1, 4 May (UCB). Carmel: 3, Apr (USNM). 1 air-mile [1.6 km] S Jamesburg, 2900 ft [870 m]: 2, 12, 5 May (UCB); 3, 1, 8 May (UCB). 2.4 km SE Jamesburg, 960 m: 8, 5, 2 May (OP); 8, 4, 3 May (OP). Paloma Creek, 4 air-miles [6.4 km] NE Arroyo Seco: 1, 8 May (UCB). Wiley Ranch, 6 mi [9.6 km] W Greenfield, 1200 ft [360 m]: 1, 2 May (UCB). Nevada Co: 6 mi [9.6 km] SW Colfax: 8, 2, 18 Apr (UCB). Placer Co: Colfax: 9, 8, Apr (USNM). San Benito Co: 11 mi [17.6 km] W Gonzales: 1, 1, 15 Apr (CAS). 2 mi [3.2 km] W jct Cienega and Lime Kiln Roads: 1, 30 Mar (CAS); 1, 24 Apr (UCB). 5 mi [8 km] SW Paicines, Lime Kiln Road: 21, 8, 24 Mar (UCB); 4, 24 Mar (USNM). Pinnacles National Monument: 1, 9 Apr (CAS); 2, 25 Apr (UCB). 9 mi [14.4 km] N Pinnacles: 1, 3, 15 Apr (CAS). San Luis Obispo Co: La Panza Camp, 12 mi [19.2 km] NE Pozo: 1, 29 Apr (UCB). 3 mi [4.8 km] W Paso Robles: 28 Apr (UCB). Nacimiento Dam: 1, 14 Apr (UCB); 2, 2, 14–30 Apr (UCB); 2, 30 Apr (USNM). San Luis Obispo: 8, 8, Mar (USNM). San Mateo Co: Black Mtn. Road: 1, 13 Apr (UCB). Redwood City: 1, 9 Apr (CAS). San Bruno Mtns: 1, 16 Apr (CAS). San Bruno Mtns, Buckeye Canyon: 1, 29 Mar (CAS). San Bruno Mtns, Owl Canyon: 1, 22 Mar (CAS). Santa Barbara Co: 40 mi [64 km] E Santa Maria, Miranda Pine Camp: 1, 2 May (UCB). Santa Clara Co: Mt. Hamilton: 1, 16 May (UCB). Mt. Hamilton, 1170 m: 1, 1, 27 Apr (OP); 1, 1, 1 May (OP); 1, 3 May (OP). Mt. Hamilton Road: 1, 23 Apr (CAS). Shasta Co: Platina, 680 m: 1, 1, 29 Apr (OP). Sonoma Co: Specific locality unknown: 8, 3, 10–25 May (USNM). Bodega: 7, 3 May (CNC); 1, 2, 3 May (USNM). 1 mi [1.6 km] SE Bodega Bay: 3, 4 May (DLW). Dry Creek: 1 (paralectotype), 20–21 May (BMNH). Fairfax: 3, 23 May (USNM). Mark West Springs: 1, 20 Apr (CAS). Russian River: 1 (lectotype), 2, 2 (paralectotypes), 19 May (BMNH); 1 (paralectotype), 19 May (USNM). Two Rock: 1, 26 April (USNM). Stanislaus Co: Del Puerto Canyon, 20 mi [32 km] W Patterson: 1, 6, 30 Apr (UCB). 2, 30 Apr (USNM). Del Puerto Canyon, 22 mi [35.2 km] W Patterson: 19, 10, 27 Apr (UCB); 4, 3, 27 Apr (USNM). Del Puerto Canyon, N fork of Del Puerto Creek, 900–1200 ft [300–400 m]: 1, 12 Apr (UCB). Trinity Co: 6 mi [9.6 km] SE Hayfork: 1, 3, 23 May (UCB). Tulare Co: 1 mi [1.6 km] NE Posey: 1, 14 May (UCB); 1, 14 May (USNM). 10 mi [16 km] SE Three Rivers, 2800 ft [840 m]: 1, 2, 29 Apr (UCB). S Fork Kaweah River, 10 mi [16 km] SE Three Rivers: 1, 29 Apr (UCB). Sequoia National Park, E South Fork campground, 1100 m: 3, 8, 2 May (OP). S Fork Drive Kaweah River near Sequoia National Park, mile 9.5, 850 m: 1, 28 Apr (OP); 1, 29 Apr (OP). South Fork Drive at Sequoia National Park boundary, 1000 m: 1, 28 Apr (OP); 8, 3, 1 May (OP). Tuolumne Co: Ackerson Meadows, 3 mi [4.8 km] S Mather, 4700 ft [1433 m]: 1, 11 Jun (UCB). 6 mi [9.6 km] S Mather: 1, 12 Jun (UCB). 1 mi [1.6 km] NW Soulsbyville: 5, 4, 1 May (UCB); 2, 1, 1 May (USNM); 9, 1, 1 May (CAS). Twain Harte, 4000 ft [1200 m]: 1, 30 May (CAS). OREGON: Specific locality unknown: 1 (BMNH). Josephine Co: 2.65 rd-miles [4.24 km] W Merlin, Avery Gulch: 5, 8, 2 May (OP). Rogue River: 2, 7 May (BMNH).

Greya solenobiella is a moth of the family Prodoxidae. In the United States it is found from south-western Oregon south to California, where it is found along the coast and in the Sierra Nevada. The habitat consists of grassy areas in dry to moderately moist oak or mixed deciduous forests.

The wingspan is 9.5–14.5 mm (0.37–0.57 in). The forewings are white, irrorated (speckled) with gray. Females are usually more white than males. The hindwings are uniformly gray. The species is highly variable in wing pattern.

The larvae feed on Yabea microcarpa. Young larvae feed on the developing seeds of their host plant.