Borer-larvae
Guides
Hepialoidea
Ghost Moths, Swift Moths
Hepialoidea is a superfamily of moths comprising over 650 species in approximately 70 genera, commonly known as ghost moths and swift moths. The group is characterized by primitive morphological features including a regressed haustellum (reduced proboscis), short antennae, and distinctive wing venation with a displaced Rs3 vein. Hepialoidea has a cosmopolitan distribution except for Madagascar and Antarctica, with greatest diversity in the Southern Hemisphere, particularly southern South America, southern Africa, and the Australian region. The superfamily includes several families, with Hepialidae being the most species-rich; fossil evidence suggests an origin in the mid-Jurassic with Hepialidae diverging by the mid-Cretaceous approximately 95 million years ago.