Cossidae
Guides
Acossus
carpenterworm moths
Acossus is a genus of carpenterworm moths in the family Cossidae, established by Dyar in 1905. The genus includes at least six described species, most associated with Populus species as larval hosts. A recently described species, A. boreocryptus, exhibits exceptional diurnal flight behavior, the first documented case among New World Cossidae. Species are distributed across northern North America and northern Eurasia.
Acossus populi
aspen carpenterworm
Acossus populi is a moth in the family Cossidae, commonly known as the aspen carpenterworm. The species has a wingspan of 50–68 mm. It is distributed across western North America, including the western United States and parts of Canada. The larvae are specialized feeders on Populus species, particularly trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides). The species was first described by Francis Walker in 1856.
Acossus undosus
Acossus undosus is a species of carpenter moth in the family Cossidae. The species was described by Lintner in 1878. It has been documented in Wyoming and Utah, with possible occurrence in surrounding states. The wingspan is approximately 58 mm.
Aramos
Aramos is a genus of carpenter moths (family Cossidae) established by Schoorl in 1990. The genus includes two recognized species: Aramos ramosa (Schaus, 1892) and Aramos itys (Druce, 1911). A third species, Aramos masoni, has been moved to other taxa. The genus status is marked as doubtful in some taxonomic databases.
Aramos ramosa
Aramos ramosa is a moth in the family Cossidae (carpenter moths). Adults are known from Texas in the United States and the Mexican states of Quintana Roo and Yucatán. Flight records indicate adult activity in June and from August through October. Available information on this species is limited.
Comadia
agave red worm (larvae of C. redtenbacheri), chinicuil (larvae of C. redtenbacheri), gusano rojo del maguey (larvae of C. redtenbacheri)
Comadia is a genus of carpenter moths (Cossidae) established in 1911, comprising 11 described species distributed in North America, particularly Mexico. The genus is best known for Comadia redtenbacheri, whose larvae are economically significant as edible insects (chinicuil or gusano rojo del maguey) and agricultural pests of Agave species. Larvae are internal borers of agave tissues, with a long, non-uniform life cycle exceeding one year. Adults are nocturnal with documented calling and mating behaviors. The genus has been subject to taxonomic revision and molecular studies to clarify species boundaries.
Comadia bertholdi
Lupine Borer Moth
Comadia bertholdi, commonly known as the lupine borer moth, is a cossid moth species native to the western United States. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism in forewing length, with males measuring 13–17 mm and females 18–19 mm. Adults are active from spring through summer, and the larvae are specialized feeders on Lupinus species. Three subspecies are recognized, differentiated by geographic distribution.
Comadia dolli
Comadia dolli is a small moth in the family Cossidae (carpenter or goat moths), first described by William Barnes and Foster Hendrickson Benjamin in 1923. It is known from the southwestern United States, with records from Arizona, California, Nevada, and New Mexico. Adults are active during the summer months from May through August. The species is one of several in the genus Comadia, which are generally associated with desert and aridland habitats.
Fania nanus
Fania nanus is a small moth in the family Cossidae, described by Strecker in 1876. It is known from a limited distribution in the southern United States, with records from Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. Adults are active from May to August and have a wingspan of approximately 28 mm.
Givira arbeloides
Arbela Carpenterworm Moth
Givira arbeloides is a small carpenterworm moth in the family Cossidae. It occurs in the south-central United States, with records from Arizona, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. Adults are active from spring through fall, with a wingspan of approximately 27 mm. The species was originally described as Inguromorpha arbeloides by Dyar in 1899.
Givira cleopatra
Givira cleopatra is a moth in the carpenter moth family (Cossidae) described by William Barnes and James Halliday McDunnough in 1912. It is native to the southwestern United States, with records from Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah. As a member of the subfamily Hypoptinae, it belongs to a group of relatively small cossid moths.
Givira francesca
Francesca Carpenterworm Moth
Givira francesca is a small moth in the family Cossidae, commonly known as carpenter millers or carpenterworm moths. It occurs in the southeastern United States, with records from Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Adults are active year-round and have a wingspan of 22–27 mm. The larvae are known to bore into the bark of Pinus trunks.
Givira marga
Givira marga is a carpenter moth in the family Cossidae, first described by Barnes and McDunnough in 1910. The species occurs in the southwestern United States, specifically California and Arizona. Adults are active from late spring through summer, with a wingspan of approximately 30 mm. The species is characterized by gray forewings with fine black strigae forming bands, and smoky brown hindwings.
Givira minuta
Givira minuta is a small moth in the family Cossidae, first described from southern Arizona in 1910. The species is characterized by its diminutive size, with a wingspan of approximately 17 mm, and distinctive wing coloration featuring light ocherous brown forewings with a creamy costal margin and dark smoky brown hindwings. Adults are active during spring months, with flight records from April through June. The species belongs to a genus of carpenter moths, though specific biological details beyond basic morphology and phenology remain poorly documented.
Givira mucidus
Givira mucidus is a moth in the family Cossidae (carpenter millers), found in southwestern North America. It is one of relatively few species in its genus with predominantly white wings and minimal dark markings. The species was described by Henry Edwards in 1882. It has been documented from California eastward to southeastern New Mexico.
Hypoptinae
carpenter moths, goat moths
A subfamily of carpenter moths (Cossidae) distributed primarily in the Neotropical region, with some genera extending into North America. The subfamily includes approximately 10 recognized genera, including Givira, Langsdorfia, and Hypopta. Hypoptinae are characterized by their generally robust body form and nocturnal habits. Many species exhibit distinctive wing patterns ranging from dark, mottled coloration to pale, nearly white forms. The subfamily has been subject to recent taxonomic revision, with new species and genera described from Andean and Brazilian localities.
Inguromorpha arcifera
Inguromorpha arcifera is a moth in the family Cossidae. It is known from Texas, North America. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism in wingspan, with males measuring 28 mm and females 38 mm. Adults are active during spring.
Inguromorpha texasensis
Inguromorpha texasensis is a moth species in the family Cossidae, known as carpenter or goat moths. The species is endemic to Texas and adjacent regions in the southern United States. It belongs to a genus of medium-sized moths whose larvae bore into wood. Observations suggest adult activity during warmer months, though detailed natural history remains poorly documented.
Morpheis clenchi
Morpheis clenchi is a moth in the family Cossidae (carpenter moths or goat moths), described by Donahue in 1980. The species is known from limited records in Arizona and northern Mexico. Adults have been documented in July. The specific epithet honors entomologist Harry K. Clench.
Prionoxystus robiniae
Carpenterworm Moth, Locust Borer
Prionoxystus robiniae is a moth in the family Cossidae, found across much of North America from southern Canada through most of the United States. Adults are active from May to July, with wingspans ranging from 43–85 mm. The larvae are wood-borers that tunnel into hardwood trees, causing economic damage to timber. Females release sex pheromones to attract males, which fly upwind to locate them; mating occurs at dusk and early night, with copulation lasting 1–2 hours.
Psychonoctua masoni
Psychonoctua masoni is a moth species in the family Cossidae, described by William Schaus in 1892. The species has a limited known distribution in Mexico and southern Texas. As a member of Cossidae, it belongs to a family commonly known as carpenter or goat moths, though specific ecological details for this species remain poorly documented.
Toronia luzena
Toronia luzena is a moth species in the family Cossidae, originally described as Miacora luzena by William Barnes in 1905. It is a North American cossid moth with a documented occurrence in Arizona. The species belongs to the small genus Toronia, which is part of the diverse carpenterworm moth family.
Toronia perplexus
Toronia perplexus is a species of carpenter moth in the family Cossidae, a family known for robust-bodied moths whose larvae bore into wood. The species was described by Barnes & Benjamin in 1924. As with many Cossidae species, the biology and natural history of T. perplexus remain poorly documented in scientific literature. The genus Toronia contains relatively few described species, and members are found in North America. Adult Cossidae moths typically have reduced mouthparts and do not feed as adults, with their primary energy reserves accumulated during the larval stage.
Zeuzera
Leopard moths, Wood-boring moths
Zeuzera is an Old World genus of carpenter moths (family Cossidae) comprising approximately eight currently recognized species. The genus includes significant agricultural pests, notably Zeuzera pyrina (leopard moth), whose larvae bore into the wood of fruit and ornamental trees causing substantial economic damage. Members of this genus are characterized by their wood-boring larval habit and broad distribution across Europe, Asia, and Africa. Several former species have been reclassified to other genera, including Zeuzera boisduvalii which was moved to the new genus Davidlivingstonia in 2020.
Zeuzerinae
Leopard Moths
Zeuzerinae is a subfamily of carpenter moths (Cossidae) commonly known as leopard moths. The group includes approximately 60 genera distributed across tropical and temperate regions worldwide. Many species are known for their striking spotted or patterned wing coloration. Larvae of several genera, including Zeuzera and Polyphagozerra, are significant wood-boring pests that tunnel into living trees and woody plants.