One of the lovelier micromoths I get to see here on Bowen Island is Decantha stonda, image shown above. I’ve personally seen them here and the Okanagan (Osoyoos + Oliver). They’re not reported all that much, but being a micro they’re probably being overlooked. In the past I recall stumbling across them on the sheet only after close inspection – they ain’t exactly large.
According to the 2015 BC checklist, there are three reported species in the genus for the province:
- Decantha stonda
- Decantha tistra
- Decantha boreasella * – Reticulated Decantha moth
The most common is D. stonda. D. tistra has a much darker terminal area, but it’s not clear on whether that’s diagnostic or not; I didn’t see any related discussion on bugguide or MPG (Moth Photographers Group). The image to the right is a specimen I saw NE of Oliver this summer, which I believe to be D. tistra. Let’s see if the iNat community agrees or not.
Both appear to fly around the same time, May-Oct, peaking in July.
* D. boreasella is interesting. Hugh McGuinness mentioned today on iNat that he doesn’t know of any proof of this species occurring west of the Great Plains, and bugguide says it only appears east of the Rockies. Good to know. Non-stonda Decantha would be worth collecting here in BC.
Other resources
- Concealer moths of BC, BC Leps
Lepidoptera
Gelechioidea, Curved horn moths
Oecophoridae, Concealer Moths
Oecophorinae
Oecophorini
Decantha
BC Moths 