Caloptilia scutellariella

Description

Caloptilia scutellariella is a moth of the family Gracillariidae. It is known from Ontario, Canada, and Ohio and Michigan in the United States. The number of generations depends on the food plant. Larvae feeding on Scutellaria ovata produce one generation per year, while larvae feeding on Scutellaria incana produce multiple continuous generations throughout the year. The larvae feed on Scutellaria incana, Scutellaria galericulata, Scutellaria ovata and Scutellaria versicolor. They mine the leaves of their host plant. On S. ovata, the mine has the form of a white full-depth blotch mine. On S. incana however, the larva forms a puffy underside mine. The larvae remain inside the leaf mine throughout the entire larval stage. However, when the larva finishes feeding, it leaves the mine and spins a small cocoon in which it pupates.