taxonID	type	description	language	source
9F1BCC50FFE8FFA2FF39AB366F4CFE93.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Blastobasis repartella was known only from the type locality, Denver, Colorado for nearly 100 years until it was rediscovered recently from farm locations in Brookings, Hughes, and Marshall Counties, South Dakota (Fig. 24), and later from Champaign County, Illinois. A regional survey in the central United States (Prasifka et al. 2009), reported that B. repartella is now known to infest switchgrass in eight northern states including Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin but was not detected in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas. Combined with the original collections by Dietz (1910), distribution in the U. S. appears to cover from an area Colorado east to Ohio and as far north as North Dakota. Parasitoids. Two specimens of Bassus difficilis Muesebeck (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) were reared from pupae of B. repartella in South Dakota.	en	Pultyniewicz, Alan (2010): Descriptions of life-stages of Blastobasis repartella (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea: Coleophoridae: Blastobasinae) and observations on its biology in switchgrass. Zootaxa 2656: 41-54, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.198936
9F1BCC50FFE8FFA2FF39AB366F4CFE93.taxon	biology_ecology	Biology. Larval feeding on switchgrass by B. repartella is visible as partially emerged leaves on a tiller that desiccates and eventually dies (Fig. 25). These are symptoms similar to those produced by other stem boring insects in grass crops (e. g., Davis & Pedigo 1991). The larva of B. repartella appears to be a monophagous stem-borer in the proaxis, basal nodes, and internodes of Panicum virgatum (Fig. 26). The proaxis of switchgrass is a region of several compressed nodes and internodes at the proximal end of a tiller. Adventitious roots and axillary meristems that give rise to the subsequent generation of extravaginal and intravaginal tillers are produced in this region (Brejda et al. 1989). The proaxis is metabolically active and is presumably a rich source of nutrients for herbivores. Early instars of B. repartella may be found by mid-autumn. Presumably, larvae are inactive during the coldest months but were found to be active in South Dakota when plants were brought into the greenhouse in early spring and forced into early growth. In the field, late-instars are commonly found in late May actively feeding. Pupae are found primarily during mid to late June within the plant stem (Fig. 27). However, no viable pupae have been found in the field in early July in Illinois or by the third week of July in South Dakota. Flight period. Adults of B. repartella are nocturnal with a peak of activity during the early pre-sunrise hours. In eastern South Dakota, adult activity occurs from mid-July to mid-August, however, individuals are occasionally collected at evening lights during late August. Seasonal peak adult activity related to reproductive behavior was measured by the frequency of arriving males (40 – 50 males per night and occasionally exceeding 75 males per night) at cages containing calling females (Figs. 28 – 29). The flight period at Savoy, Illinois appears to be 2 − 3 weeks earlier than in South Dakota. There is no evidence to suggest the occurrence of a second generation or overlapping cohorts in either South Dakota or Illinois populations. This is consistent with the single per year growth of switchgrass and appears to correlate with geographic variations in growing season differences of switchgrass (Quinn 1969) indicating that these populations lack sufficient phenological opportunity to support multiple generations of B. repartella. Oviposition. Eggs are deposited in a concealed area between the stem and desiccated sheath found at the base of the tillers (Prasifka et al. 2009). Niche competitors. The only known potential niche competitor of B. repartella is Aethes spartinana (Barnes and McDunnough) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), which was reared from larvae also collected from stems of switchgrass in South Dakota. Previously, prairie cordgrass (Spartina pectinata Bosc ex Link.) was the only recorded host of A. spartinana.	en	Pultyniewicz, Alan (2010): Descriptions of life-stages of Blastobasis repartella (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea: Coleophoridae: Blastobasinae) and observations on its biology in switchgrass. Zootaxa 2656: 41-54, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.198936
