Philonome clemensella

The length of the forewings is 2.8–4.4 mm.[1] The wings are narrow and typically folded around the abdomen at rest. The forewing has an orange-brown ground color. A diagonal, white median line stops short of the costa and turns parallel to the costa to meet the white thorax. A diagonal, white postmedial line begins wide at the costa and narrows and stops before reaching the curved outer margin. Black scales appear in several small clumps: posterior to the thorax, in a tuft near the median line, at the inner end of the postmedial line, and along the outer margin.

The species has been classified in the leaf-miner moth family Lyonetiidae in the past. A genetics study published in 2013 showed that the species belongs in the family Tineidae of clothes moths.[2]

The species' occurrence range extends from Oklahoma and Minnesota in the west to Florida and Maine in the east, including southeastern Canada.[3][4][5]

Larvae live on hickory trees.[6] Adults have been reported from April to November, with most sightings in June and July.[3][4][5]