Copivaleria grotei (Morrison), 1875

Valeria grotei Morrison, 1875, Bull. Buffalo Soc. Nat. Sci., 1:274.

Diagnosis: Copivaleria grotei is black with a conspicuous white forewing reniform mark. This species may be separated from all species of Psaphida by the presence of a tuft on the third, and sometimes the fourth, abdominal tergite. The prothoracic tibial claw lacks the associated plate always found in Psaphida. The only species of Copivaleria, grotei, lives in eastern and central North America. Both species of Pseudocopivaleria, in contrast, are known only from the Pacific Coast region of the United States. Wing length from base to apex: mean = 18.35 mm., standard deviation = 0.62 mm., n = 10.

Distribution: The adults are early spring fliers. Copivaleria grotei is common in eastern and central North America. The species has been collected in southern New England, western Quebec, Ontario, and ranges as far south as South Carolina and Mississippi. The species occurs throughout the midwest from eastern and central Texas and Missouri in the south, and northward through the Great Plains as far north as North Dakota, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. The western limit of its range is in western Nebraska and central Saskatchewan. Geographical variation does not appear to be significant, although western specimens tend to be somewhat lighter in color than eastern ones. Individual variation is not great, although variation exists in the darkness of the forewing and the amount of olive green in the anal angle of the forewing.

Identification Quality: Excellent.

Larva: The larva has been described by Crumb (1956). Crumb's description is terse because all coloration and markings of the larvae he examined was obliterated.

Foodplants: The larva is recorded from ash (Fraxinus sp.).

Similar Species

No Similar Species