Hepialidae

Common Name

Ghost Moths or Swift Moths

Overview

Hepialidae, known as ghost moths or swift moths, are a family of primitive moths found worldwide. These moths exhibit quite a few unique features compared to more evolved Lepidoptera.

Taxonomy

Key Characteristics

  • Wingspan: Typically ranges from 2 to 25 cm.
  • Body: Robust and sometimes flattened.
  • Wing Structure: Forewings are long and narrow, hindwings are smaller.
  • Coloration: Patterns are often muted with browns, grays, and whites, but some species have vibrant colors.

Life Cycle

  • Egg: Deposited on soil or near host plants.
  • Larva: Burrows in soil or wood, often feeds on roots or decaying vegetation.
  • Pupa: Develops within the soil or in plant stems.
  • Adult: Short-lived, primarily focused on reproduction.

Behavior and Ecology

  • Habitat: Found in a wide variety of habitats, including woodlands, grasslands, and sometimes urban areas.
  • Feeding: Larvae are herbivorous, feeding primarily on plant roots or decaying plant matter.
  • Mating: Adults display unique aerobic displays often involving hovering and spiraling flights.

Notable Species

  • Wiseana cervinata: Commonly known as the Porina moth, a pest in New Zealand.
  • Aenetus virescens: Known as the puriri moth in New Zealand, characterized by its bright green color.
  • Thitarodes armoricanus: Involved in the cordyceps fungus lifecycle, highly valued in traditional Chinese medicine.

Conservation

Most species are not currently considered at risk, but habitat destruction could pose future threats.

Significance to Humans

  • Agriculture: Some species, like Porina moths, are considered pests due to larvae feeding on crops.
  • Medicine: Caterpillars in the genus Thitarodes are hosts for cordyceps fungus, which is used for medicinal purposes.

Fun Facts

  • Ghost moths are called so because of the male's ethereal hovering flight during mating displays.
  • While the majority of Lepidoptera have a proboscis, adults in this family have underdeveloped mouthparts and do not feed.
  • The largest species, Zelotypia stacyi, can have a wingspan of up to 25 centimeters, making it one of the world's largest moths.
  • Some species exhibit bioluminescence during their larval stage.
  • The puriri moth can live up to six years as a larva but only a few days as an adult.