Crambid
Guides
Achyra rantalis
garden webworm, Garden Webworm Moth
Achyra rantalis is a crambid moth commonly known as the garden webworm. The species occurs across much of North America and has been recorded at blacklighting displays during moth surveys. Larvae feed on foliage of various low-growing plants and are occasionally reported as pests in agricultural settings. Adults have a wingspan of 17–23 mm.
Anageshna primordialis
Yellow-spotted Webworm Moth
Anageshna primordialis, known as the yellow-spotted webworm moth, is a crambid moth species described by Harrison Dyar in 1906. The species is widely distributed across the eastern and central United States, with records spanning from Maine to Florida and westward to Texas and Arizona. It is a moderately well-documented species with nearly 10,000 observations on iNaturalist, indicating it is frequently encountered by naturalists.
Arenochroa
Arenochroa is a monotypic genus of crambid moths established by Munroe in 1976. The genus contains a single species, Arenochroa flavalis, found in arid regions of the southwestern United States and Mexico. The genus belongs to the subfamily Pyraustinae within the family Crambidae.
Catoptria latiradiellus
Two-banded Catoptria Moth, Three-spotted Crambus Moth, Two-banded Catoptria
A small crambid moth native to northern North America, recognized by its distinctive wing pattern with two pale bands. Adults are active during mid-summer in wet, open habitats across a broad transcontinental range. The species was described by Francis Walker in 1863 and remains relatively well-documented through observation records.
Choristostigma roseopennalis
Choristostigma roseopennalis is a small crambid moth described by George Duryea Hulst in 1886. It is distributed across the southern and eastern United States and Mexico, with records from Arizona, Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, and Texas. The species is distinguished by its bright coloration and has been documented at ultraviolet and mercury-vapor light traps in mountain oak woodland habitats.
Colomychus talis
distinguished colymychus moth
Colomychus talis is a crambid moth occurring in the southeastern United States and Mexico. Adults are active from May through August. The species was described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1878 and is recorded from ten U.S. states.
Conchylodes concinnalis
Double-ringed Conchylodes
Conchylodes concinnalis is a small crambid moth found in Mexico and the south-eastern United States, with western extensions to Arizona and southern California. Adults have a wingspan of approximately 23–24 mm and display distinctive white wings marked with black bands and spots. The species is active from March through September, with adults attracted to light. The specific epithet 'concinnalis' and common name 'Double-ringed Conchylodes' reference the prominent paired dark markings on the forewings.
Conchylodes diphteralis
Conchylodes diphteralis is a small crambid moth described by Carl Geyer in 1832. The species exhibits a broad geographic distribution spanning the southeastern United States, the West Indies, and South America. Adults have a wingspan of 24–29 mm and are active nearly year-round in Florida. Larvae feed on Cordia species.
Crambus agitatellus
double-banded grass-veneer moth, Double-banded Grass-veneer
A small crambid moth of eastern North America, recognized by its distinctive wing pattern and slender resting posture. Adults are active during mid-summer months. The species was first described by J.B. Clemens in 1860 and remains common in open grassy habitats.
Diastictis sperryorum
Diastictis sperryorum is a small crambid moth with a wingspan of 22–25 mm, characterized by brown wings with scattered white dots. First described by Canadian entomologist Eugene Munroe in 1956, this species is primarily found in California with scattered records across the southwestern United States. Adults are active from February through August.
Dichogama colotha
A crambid moth described by Harrison Gray Dyar in 1912. Adults are active during summer and autumn months. The species is currently treated as a synonym of Dichogama gudmanni by major taxonomic databases, though it remains in use in some sources.
Elophila occidentalis
Elophila occidentalis is a small crambid moth described by William Harry Lange in 1956. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism in wing size, with females notably larger than males. Adults are active during summer months with multiple generations per year. Larvae are aquatic and feed on submerged aquatic plants.
Epipagis fenestralis
Orange Epipagis Moth
Epipagis fenestralis is a small crambid moth known as the Orange Epipagis Moth. It occurs across the southeastern United States and extends into Costa Rica. The species has a wingspan of 20–25 mm. It is a member of the subfamily Spilomelinae within the diverse snout moth family Crambidae.
Eufernaldia
Eufernaldia is a genus of moths in the family Crambidae, first described by George Duryea Hulst in 1900. The genus contains four described species distributed in the Americas, with records from Panama and Mexico. Members of this genus are small to medium-sized moths in the superfamily Pyraloidea. The genus remains poorly studied, with limited ecological and biological data available.
Evergestis obliqualis
Slender Evergestis
Evergestis obliqualis is a small crambid moth described by Grote in 1883. It occurs in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Adults fly during summer months, and larvae feed on Portulaca species.
Fumibotys
mint root borer moth
Fumibotys is a monotypic genus of crambid moths containing a single species, Fumibotys fumalis. The genus was established by Eugene G. Munroe in 1976 to accommodate this species, which was originally described by Achille Guenée in 1854. The common name "mint root borer moth" refers to the larval habit of boring into mint roots. The genus is distributed across most of North America.
Glaphyria sesquistrialis
White-roped Glaphyria Moth
Glaphyria sesquistrialis, commonly known as the white-roped glaphyria moth, is a crambid moth first described by Jacob Hübner in 1823. The species is widely distributed across eastern and central North America, with additional records from Honduras. Its larvae are documented to feed specifically on live oak (Quercus virginiana), indicating a specialized host relationship.
Haimbachia diminutalis
Haimbachia diminutalis is a small crambid moth described from North America in 1965. It is known from limited records in Oklahoma and Texas. The species has a wingspan of approximately 16 mm and shows adult activity during spring, summer, and autumn months.
Haimbachia squamulellus
Scaled Haimbachia Moth
Haimbachia squamulellus is a small moth in the family Crambidae, first described by Zeller in 1881. It occurs in eastern and central North America, ranging from Maryland south to Florida and west to Texas and Illinois. The species is one of approximately 15 recognized species in the genus Haimbachia, a group of grass-associated crambid moths. Adults are active during warmer months, though specific phenology varies across its range.
Hileithia aplicalis
Hileithia aplicalis is a small crambid moth described by Guenée in 1854. It is known from the southeastern and southwestern United States, with records from Georgia, Florida, Texas, and Arizona. Adults are active from February through August. The species remains poorly documented, with limited biological information available.
Hoterodes
Hoterodes is a genus of moths in the family Crambidae, subfamily Spilomelinae, established by Guenée in 1854. The genus contains three recognized species distributed in the Neotropical region: Hoterodes ausonia, Hoterodes albiceps, and Hoterodes violescens. Two former species have been reassigned to other genera. The genus is characterized by distinctive wing patterns and is part of the diverse grass moth lineage within Crambidae.
Hydropionea oblectalis
Hydropionea oblectalis is a small crambid moth described by George Duryea Hulst in 1886. It belongs to a genus of snout moths characterized by slender bodies, wings rolled around the body at rest, and enlarged labial palps projecting forward. The species is known from Arizona in the southwestern United States. Little is known about its biology; the larval host plants and life cycle remain unstudied.
Lipocosmodes fuliginosalis
Sooty Lipocosmodes Moth
Lipocosmodes fuliginosalis is a small crambid moth and the sole member of its genus. It occurs across eastern North America from Quebec to Florida and west to Texas and Illinois. The specific epithet fuliginosalis refers to its sooty, dark coloration. It is classified in the subfamily Glaphyriinae, a group of small moths often associated with leaf litter and herbaceous vegetation.
Loxostege brunneitincta
A small crambid moth described by Eugene G. Munroe in 1976. Adults are active during late spring and early summer. The species is known from a limited number of records in the western United States.
Loxostege commixtalis
alfalfa webworm
Loxostege commixtalis, commonly known as the alfalfa webworm, is a crambid moth species described by Francis Walker in 1866. The species has a transcontinental distribution spanning the Palearctic and Nearctic regions. In North America, it ranges from the Atlantic provinces to the Yukon, while in Europe it occurs in Fennoscandia, Estonia, and northern Russia. Recent records document its first occurrence in the Eastern Palearctic (South-Eastern Transbaikalia and Amur Uplands). The species is a documented host for the parasitoid wasp Bracon vulgaris. Its larvae feed on succulent plants including alfalfa and sugar beet.
Loxostege quaestoralis
Loxostege quaestoralis is a small crambid moth described from western North America in 1914. Adults are active during winter months with a wingspan of approximately 19 mm. The species exhibits distinctive wing patterning with dark hindwings contrasting against pale forewings.
Microphysetica hermeasalis
Microphysetica hermeasalis is a small crambid moth described by Francis Walker in 1859. It has a wingspan of 9–10 mm and occurs across the Caribbean Basin, including Florida, Mexico, Central America, the Antilles, and northern South America. Adults are active during specific periods in Florida, with flight records from March through June and again from November through December.
Mimoschinia rufofascialis
Rufous-banded Crambid Moth, Rufous-banded Pyralid Moth, Barberpole Caterpillar
Mimoschinia rufofascialis, commonly known as the Rufous-banded Crambid Moth, is the sole species in its genus. This crambid moth has been documented across a broad North American range from western Canada through the southwestern United States and into Mexico, as well as in the Caribbean. The species is attracted to artificial light sources and has been observed during summer moth surveys.
Occidentalia comptulatalis
Occidentalia comptulatalis is a small crambid moth and the sole member of the monotypic genus Occidentalia. It is found in northern North America, primarily in Canada and the northern United States. The species was originally described as Crambus comptulatalis before being placed in its own genus. Despite its relatively broad geographic range, it remains poorly studied with limited published information on its biology.
Palpita kimballi
Kimball's palpita moth
Palpita kimballi is a small crambid moth endemic to the southeastern United States. Adults have forewings measuring 14–15 mm and are active primarily from July through October. The species was described by Eugene G. Munroe in 1959 and is named in honor of Charles P. Kimball, author of The Lepidoptera of Florida: An Annotated Checklist.
Palpita magniferalis
splendid palpita snout moth, ash pyralid, ash leafroller
Palpita magniferalis is a small crambid moth native to eastern North America. Adults are active from spring through fall, with a wingspan of 23–27 mm. The larvae are specialized feeders on Fraxinus (ash) species, giving rise to the common name 'ash leafroller.' The species is sometimes confused with Palpita guttulosa, which some authors treat as a distinct species.
Pantographa limata
Basswood Leafroller Moth
Pantographa limata, commonly known as the basswood leafroller moth, is a crambid moth native to eastern North America. Adults have a wingspan of approximately 38 mm. The larvae are leafrollers that feed on Tilia species, constructing shelters by rolling host plant leaves.
Parapoynx badiusalis
Chestnut-marked Pondweed Moth
Parapoynx badiusalis, the chestnut-marked pondweed moth, is a small crambid moth found in freshwater wetland habitats across north-central and northeastern North America. The species was described by Francis Walker in 1859. Adults are active from late spring through early autumn. Larvae are aquatic and feed on pondweed species.
Petrophila bifascialis
two-banded petrophila moth
Petrophila bifascialis is a small crambid moth found across eastern and central North America. Adults are active from late spring through early autumn. The species is notable for its aquatic larval stage, which feeds on algae and diatoms in freshwater habitats. Adults have a wingspan of 11–24 mm and display two distinct dark bands across the forewings.
Procymbopteryx belialis
Procymbopteryx belialis is a small crambid moth and the sole member of its genus. It has been documented in the Mexican state of Guerrero and in southern Arizona, USA. The species was described by Druce in 1899. Records suggest it occupies arid or semi-arid environments in the southwestern United States and western Mexico.
Pyrausta inveterascalis
Pyrausta inveterascalis is a small crambid moth described in 1918. Adults have a wingspan of approximately 15 mm with dull vinous forewings featuring a narrow yellow terminal band and smoky hindwings. The species occurs in eastern North America from western Pennsylvania to southern Ontario, Illinois, and Missouri. Larvae feed on Monarda species.
Pyrausta linealis
Pyrausta linealis is a small crambid moth described by Charles H. Fernald in 1894. Adults have a wingspan of 17–20 mm and are active from March to June. The species is distributed in western North America from eastern Washington through Nevada to the Mojave Desert of California.
Pyrausta napaealis
Pyrausta napaealis is a small crambid moth described by George Duryea Hulst in 1886. It is found in western North America from Washington to California and eastward to Texas, as well as in northern Mexico. Adults have a wingspan of 17–22 mm and exhibit distinctive ash gray and brown forewing patterning. The species is active primarily from March through August, with some records in October.
Pyrausta phoenicealis
perilla leaf moth, Phoenician pyrausta moth
Pyrausta phoenicealis is a crambid moth with a nearly cosmopolitan distribution across the Americas, Africa, Australia, and Asia. It is a documented agricultural pest, particularly in South Korea where it damages Perilla (shiso) crops. Larvae feed on plants in the mint family (Lamiaceae) and related Asteraceae, binding leaves with silk to form protective shelters. The species is frequently confused with Pyrausta panopealis due to morphological similarity, but genetic analysis reveals approximately 4.62% COI divergence between them.
Pyrausta sartoralis
Pyrausta sartoralis is a small crambid moth described from North America in 1914. Adults have a wingspan of 14–17 mm with distinctive creamy forewings suffused with brown and whitish hindwings tinged with brown outwardly. The species is known from California and Arizona, with adult flight periods recorded in spring and summer.
Pyrausta socialis
Sociable Pyrausta Moth
Pyrausta socialis is a crambid moth described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1877. The species occurs across northern and western North America, with records from Ontario westward to British Columbia and south to Montana and Colorado. Two subspecies are recognized: the nominate form and P. s. perpallidalis described from Washington and Oregon. As a member of the snout moth family, it possesses the elongated labial palps characteristic of Crambidae.
Pyrausta unifascialis
One-banded Pyrausta
A North American crambid moth commonly known as the one-banded pyrausta. Adults are small, colorful moths with distinctive banded patterns. Larvae are creamy-colored caterpillars that feed within flower buds of Monarda species, causing significant damage to developing blossoms. The species has multiple generations per year and is considered a notable pest of ornamental beebalms.
Pyrausta volupialis
volupial pyrausta moth, Volupial Mint Moth
Pyrausta volupialis is a small crambid moth described by Grote in 1877. The species occurs across western North America from the southwestern United States through Mexico. Larvae feed on plants in the mint family (Lamiaceae), including rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis). Adults are active year-round in suitable climates.
Saucrobotys fumoferalis
dusky saucrobotys moth
Saucrobotys fumoferalis is a small crambid moth found across northern and western North America. Adults are active from spring through late summer, with a wingspan of approximately 30 mm. The species is notable for its larval association with hickory trees (Carya species), where caterpillars feed on leaves. It inhabits boreal forests, mixed forests, and woodlots across a broad geographic range from the Yukon to California and from Nova Scotia to British Columbia.
Udea brevipalpis
Udea brevipalpis is a small crambid moth described by Eugene G. Munroe in 1966. It is known from a limited range in western North America, with records from California, Colorado, and Utah. Adults are active during mid-summer.
Urola nivalis
Snowy Urola Moth
Urola nivalis, commonly known as the snowy urola moth, is a small crambid moth found across eastern and central North America. Adults are active from May through September, producing two generations annually. The species has a wingspan of 15–23 mm. Larvae feed on grasses and have been recorded as pests of Ligustrum species.
Usingeriessa brunnildalis
Usingeriessa brunnildalis is a small crambid moth described by Harrison Gray Dyar Jr. in 1906. It is known from California and Texas in the southwestern United States. The species has a distinctive wing pattern with dark brown forewings that are lighter in the median area and at the anal angle, contrasting with gray hindwings. The larval stage is aquatic, inhabiting rocks in streams where it feeds on algae.
Vaxi critica
Straight-lined Vaxi Moth, Straight-lined Argyria Moth
Vaxi critica is a crambid moth found in eastern North American fields and meadows. Adults are active from June to September in northern populations and March to July in Florida. The species was described by W.T.M. Forbes in 1920 and is also known by the synonym Argyria critica.