Heliozela aesella

Description

Heliozela aesella is a moth of the family Heliozelidae. It was described by Vactor Tousey Chambers in 1877. It is found in the United States, including Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Ohio and Wisconsin and Quebec in Canada. Adults are on wing from late April to early May in one generation per year. They are bronzy metallic with two white triangles on the hind margin of the forewing. The larvae feed on Vitis species. They mine the leaves of their host plant. The mine is gall like. Full-grown larvae cut out a case and drop to the ground. Pupation takes place within this case after overwintering. Larvae and mines can be found in late May.