About Chionodes mariona (Heinrich, 1921)
Chionodes mariona is a moth species that belongs to the family Gelechiidae. It is distributed across North America, with confirmed records from Arizona, southern Texas, and Mexico. This moth has a wingspan measuring 9 to 10 mm. Its forewings are glossy black, marked with two distinct cream-colored spots: the first is a short triangular dash on the outer third of the costa, and the second is a similarly sized irregular spot on the dorsum just past the middle. The moth's hindwings are a smoky fuscous color. The larvae of Chionodes mariona feed on plant species from the genera Abutilon, Malvastrum, Sida, and Wissadula, including Abutilon incanum, Abutilon berlandieri, and Malvastrum coromandelianum. Fully grown larvae are 6.5 to 7 mm long. They have yellowish white bodies, with a longitudinal row of large red blotches along both the subdorsal and lateral regions, plus an additional longitudinal row of smaller red spots.
