Fissicrambus

Bleszynski, 1963

Grass-veneers

Species Guides

Fissicrambus albilineellus
Fissicrambus haytiellus(Carpet-grass Webworm Moth)
Fissicrambus hemiochrellus
Fissicrambus intermedius
Fissicrambus minuellus
Fissicrambus mutabilis(Changeable Grass-veneer)
Fissicrambus profanellus(Profane Grass-veneer)
Fissicrambus quadrinotellus

Fissicrambus is a of grass-veneer moths in the Crambidae, established by Bleszynski in 1963. The genus contains approximately 17 described distributed primarily in North America. Several species, notably F. mutabilis, are recognized as agricultural pests of turfgrass, wheat, and corn. Larvae are commonly known as sod webworms due to their habit of constructing silk-lined burrows in soil.

Fissicrambus haytiellus by (c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Ken-ichi Ueda. Used under a CC-BY license.

Fissicrambus haytiellus by (c) Laura Gaudette, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Laura Gaudette. Used under a CC-BY license.

Fissicrambus mutabilis by (c) Annika Lindqvist, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Annika Lindqvist. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Fissicrambus: /ˌfɪsɪˈkræmbəs/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Habitat

Turfgrass systems; grass-dominated environments including lawns, pastures, and agricultural fields

Distribution

North America; records from United States including Vermont

Host Associations

turfgrass - larval food plantprimary for pest
wheat - larval food plantagricultural pest damage documented
corn - larval food plantagricultural pest damage documented

Behavior

Larvae construct silk-lined burrows in soil at the base of plants; are and attracted to light

Ecological Role

Herbivore; some are significant agricultural pests causing damage to monocot crops and turfgrass

Human Relevance

Several are turfgrass and agricultural pests requiring management intervention; F. mutabilis known as striped is of particular economic concern in the United States

Similar Taxa

ParapediasiaBoth are Crambinae grass-veneer with similar and larval habits in turfgrass; requires genitalia examination or molecular analysis for definitive separation
PediasiaOverlapping preferences and similar appearance; Fissicrambus often distinguished by more pronounced forewing fissure or split at termen

More Details

Etymology

name derived from Latin 'fissus' (split or cleft) and 'crambus' (referring to the related genus Crambus), alluding to the characteristic split or notched termen of the forewing in many

Taxonomic history

Established by Polish lepidopterist Stanisław Bleszynski in 1963; previously treated as part of broader Crambus or Pediasia groupings