''Menesta melanella'' is a
moth in the family
Depressariidae. It was described by
Mary Murtfeldt
Mary Esther Murtfeldt (6 August 1839, New York City – 23 February 1913, Kirkwood, Missouri, Kirkwood) was an American entomologist, botanist, botanical collector, writer and editor. She undertook research on the life histories of insects, descr ...
in 1890. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded is the states:
Alabama,
Arizona,
Florida,
Kentucky,
Massachusetts,
Mississippi,
Missouri,
New Jersey,
North Carolina,
Ohio and
South Carolina.
Its
wingspan is 10–12 mm. The forewings are blackish brown with greenish-violet reflections, and a triangular patch of white scales on the costa about midway between the base and the apex. The hindwings have a broad white streak extending along the costa from the base to beyond midpoint.
The larvae feed on ''
Quercus obtusiloba
''Quercus stellata'', the post oak or iron oak, is a North American species of oak in the white oak section. It is a slow-growing oak that lives in dry areas on the edges of fields, tops of ridges also grows in poor soils, and is resistant to ro ...
'' and ''
Quercus stellata''.
''Proceedings of the United States National Museum'' 116 (3495): 51
References
Moths described in 1890
Menesta
{{Depressariidae-stub