Crambidae
Guides
Lamprosema victoriae
Victorian Lamplighter Moth
Lamprosema victoriae is a moth in the family Crambidae, described by Harrison Gray Dyar Jr. in 1923. It is commonly known as the Victorian Lamplighter Moth. The species has been recorded in the south-central United States, with confirmed occurrences in Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas. As a member of the subfamily Spilomelinae, it belongs to a diverse group of grass moths and related species.
Langessa
black langessa moth
Langessa is a monotypic genus of crambid moths in the subfamily Acentropinae, established by Munroe in 1972. The sole species, Langessa nomophilalis (black langessa moth), occurs in the southeastern United States. Adults are small moths with distinctive bronzy-brown forewings and patterned hindwings. Larvae are aquatic, feeding on submerged vegetation.
Langessa nomophilalis
black langessa moth
Langessa nomophilalis, the black langessa moth, is the sole species in the genus Langessa. It is a small crambid moth in the subfamily Acentropinae. The species is endemic to the southeastern United States with a restricted coastal plain distribution. It was first described by Harrison Gray Dyar in 1906, originally placed in the genus Nymphula.
Laniifera cyclades
Cactus Moth, Prickly Pear Moth
Laniifera cyclades is a snout moth in the family Crambidae and the sole member of its genus. It is native to Mexico and the southwestern United States. The species is notable for its specialized diet on prickly pear cactuses (Opuntia), which has led to its introduction as a biological control agent in regions where these cactuses are invasive. Adults are active from July to September and have a wingspan of approximately 40 mm.
Leptosteges parthenialis
Leptosteges parthenialis is a small crambid moth described in 1917 from the southern United States. The species is documented from Florida, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. Adults are active during the warmer months, with flight records spanning May through August.
Leptosteges vestaliella
Leptosteges vestaliella is a small crambid moth described by Zeller in 1872. It occurs in the southeastern and south-central United States. Adults are active from late spring through early autumn. The species is among the smaller members of its genus.
Leucochroma
Leucochroma is a genus of moths in the family Crambidae, subfamily Spilomelinae, established by Guenée in 1854. The genus contains at least five described species distributed across the Neotropical region, including Colombia, Jamaica, and Taiwan. Species within this genus are characterized by their predominantly white or pale coloration, as reflected in the genus name derived from Greek roots meaning 'white color'. The genus is part of the diverse snout moth family Crambidae, which includes many economically important agricultural pests.
Leurus
Leurus is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Ichneumonidae, subfamily Metopiinae. Species in this genus are koinobiont parasitoids of caterpillars, particularly leaf-rolling Crambidae (Lepidoptera). The genus exhibits remarkable cryptic diversity, with eleven sympatric species documented from a single conservation area in Costa Rica. These wasps are distinguished through integrated approaches combining COI barcoding, host associations, and subtle morphological traits.
Lineodes elcodes
Lineodes elcodes is a moth in the family Crambidae, first described by Harrison Gray Dyar Jr. in 1910. It is one of approximately 80 described species in the genus Lineodes, a group of small to medium-sized moths commonly known as lineodes moths. The species has a limited documented distribution in southwestern North America.
Lineodes fontella
Eastern Lineodes Moth
Lineodes fontella, commonly known as the eastern lineodes moth, is a small crambid moth described by Walsingham in 1913. It is widely distributed across the southeastern United States, the Caribbean, and parts of Central and South America. The species is notable for its specialized larval association with Physalis fruits.
Lineodes integra
Eggplant Leafroller Moth, Nightshade Leaftier
Lineodes integra is a small moth in the family Crambidae, commonly known as the eggplant leafroller moth or nightshade leaftier. The species is native to the Americas, with a broad distribution from the southern United States through Central America to South America. It is recognized as a pest of cultivated Solanaceae crops, with larvae that feed on leaves and developing fruit. The species was first described by Zeller in 1873.
Lineodes triangulalis
Lineodes triangulalis is a small crambid moth described by Möschler in 1890. It is distributed across the Caribbean, Central America, northern South America, and the southern United States (Florida and Texas). The forewings measure 7.7–9.7 mm. Larvae have been reared on Capsicum frutescens leaves, indicating a host association with pepper plants.
Lipocosma adelalis
A small crambid moth described by Kearfott in 1903, known from scattered records across the eastern United States. Adults are active during summer months and are characterized by a wingspan of approximately 11 mm. The species appears to be uncommon to rare, with limited ecological data available.
Loxomorpha
Loxomorpha is a genus of moths in the family Crambidae (order Lepidoptera). The genus contains at least four recognized species, including L. flavidissimalis, a known pest of cultivated cactus. The genus was established by Hoshide in 1988, though Amsel (1956) is also cited as an authority. Species in this genus are distributed in the Americas, with records from North America to Mexico.
Loxomorpha cambogialis
Loxomorpha cambogialis is a small moth in the family Crambidae, first described by Achille Guenée in 1854. The species has a wingspan of approximately 18 mm and occurs across a broad geographic range in the Neotropics and subtropical North America, including Brazil, Venezuela, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Florida. Adults are active from June to September. The larval biology and host associations remain undocumented.
Loxomorpha flavidissimalis
Cactus Webworm
Loxomorpha flavidissimalis, commonly known as the Cactus Webworm, is a moth species in the family Crambidae. First described by Grote in 1878, it is distributed across the southern United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and has been introduced to Australia. The species is notable for its specialized association with Opuntia cacti, with larvae feeding internally on host tissues. It has potential economic significance as a pest of cultivated cactus crops.
Loxostege
webworms, meadow moths
Loxostege is a genus of moths in the family Crambidae, commonly known as webworms or meadow moths. The genus includes economically significant agricultural pests, particularly L. sticticalis (beet webworm/meadow moth), which is a polyphagous species causing substantial crop damage across North America, Europe, and Asia. Species in this genus exhibit complex life histories including larval diapause, long-distance migration capabilities, and high reproductive potential. Many species are characterized by outbreak dynamics with cyclic population explosions.
Loxostege albiceralis
Tan-edge Loxostege
Loxostege albiceralis is a crambid moth described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1878. It occurs in arid regions of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The species is notable as a documented host for the mason wasp Euodynerus annulatus, which provisions its nests with Loxostege caterpillars. Adults are active across an extended flight season from early spring through autumn.
Loxostege allectalis
Wolfberry Loxostege Moth
Loxostege allectalis is a small crambid moth described by Grote in 1877. It occurs from southern California through Texas and south into Mexico and Central America. The species has a wingspan of 21–26 mm and is active from March to September. Its larvae feed specifically on Lycium berlandieri.
Loxostege cereralis
Alfalfa Webworm, Alfalfa Webworm Moth
Loxostege cereralis, commonly known as the alfalfa webworm, is a crambid moth species distributed across much of North America. The species is known for its larval association with alfalfa and other agricultural crops, making it economically significant in some regions. Adults have a wingspan of 30–34 mm and are active during an extended flight period from March through October in warmer areas.
Loxostege ephippialis
Loxostege ephippialis is a small moth in the family Crambidae, first described by Johan Wilhelm Zetterstedt in 1839. It exhibits a Holarctic distribution, occurring across northern Europe and North America. The species is known to be a significant host for the mason wasp Euodynerus annulatus, which provisions its nests with paralyzed caterpillars of this moth. Adults are active during early summer in both European and North American populations.
Loxostege floridalis
Christmas-berry webworm moth
Loxostege floridalis, commonly known as the Christmas-berry webworm moth, is a species of snout moth in the family Crambidae. It was first described by entomologists William Barnes and James Halliday McDunnough in 1913. The species has a restricted distribution in North America, with confirmed records only from Florida and Texas. Adults are active during the cooler months, with flight records spanning September through May.
Loxostege immerens
Loxostege immerens is a small crambid moth described by Leon F. Harvey in 1875. It is known from California, where adults have been recorded flying in January and from March through June. The species has a wingspan of approximately 20 mm, with distinctive blackish gray forewings and deep orange yellow hindwings. It belongs to a genus whose caterpillars are known to be preyed upon by certain mason wasps.
Loxostege indentalis
Loxostege indentalis is a crambid moth described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1883. The species is native to western North America, with documented records from six U.S. states. Adults have a wingspan of approximately 35 mm and are active from spring through late summer. The genus Loxostege includes several species of webworm moths, some of which are significant agricultural pests, though specific economic impacts of L. indentalis have not been documented.
Loxostege munroealis
Nearctic Beet Webworm
Loxostege munroealis is a species of moth in the family Crambidae, first described by Patrice J.A. Leraut in 2005. The species is known from western North America, with records from British Columbia. It belongs to a genus that includes several agricultural pest species commonly referred to as webworms.
Loxostege oberthuralis
Loxostege oberthuralis is a moth in the family Crambidae, described by Charles H. Fernald in 1894. It is known from arid regions of the southwestern United States. The species has a wingspan of approximately 32 mm and exhibits distinctive coloration with pale sulfur yellow forewings marked with reddish brown and white hindwings with a fuscous terminal line.
Loxostege offumalis
Loxostege offumalis is a small crambid moth described by George Duryea Hulst in 1886. The species is known only from California in western North America. Adults are active in early spring, with flight records from February to March. The moth has been documented as a host for the mason wasp Euodynerus annulatus.
Loxostege thallophilalis
Loxostege thallophilalis is a moth species in the family Crambidae, first described by George Duryea Hulst in 1886. It belongs to the genus Loxostege, which includes several species commonly known as webworms. The species has been recorded as a host for the mason wasp Euodynerus annulatus, which provisions its nests with caterpillars of this moth.
Loxostegopsis
Loxostegopsis is a genus of small moths in the family Crambidae, subfamily Spilomelinae. The genus was established by Harrison Gray Dyar in 1917 and contains six described species distributed in North America. Most species were described by Barnes and McDunnough in 1918. The genus is relatively well-documented on iNaturalist with over 3,300 observations, suggesting active populations that are encountered with some frequency.
Loxostegopsis polle
A small moth in the family Crambidae, described by Harrison Gray Dyar Jr. in 1917. It inhabits short grass prairie ecosystems across western North America, with adults active in spring and early autumn. The species is recorded from seven U.S. states and one Canadian province.
Lygropia plumbicostalis
Lygropia plumbicostalis is a small crambid moth described by Grote in 1871. The species has a wingspan of approximately 27 mm. It occurs in the southwestern and southeastern United States, with records from Arizona, Florida, and Texas. Adults are active from May through September.
Lygropia tripunctata
sweetpotato leafroller
Lygropia tripunctata, commonly known as the sweetpotato leafroller, is a small crambid moth described by Fabricius in 1794. The species is distributed across the southeastern United States, West Indies, Central America, and South America to Brazil. Adults are active primarily from March to October. The larvae feed on several Convolvulaceae species including sweetpotato (Ipomoea), making this species of agricultural significance.
Macrocentrus pyraustae
Macrocentrus pyraustae is a species of parasitoid wasp in the family Braconidae, described by Viereck in 1917. The species epithet 'pyraustae' indicates an association with moths in the family Crambidae (formerly Pyralidae), specifically the genus Ostrinia. It is a specialized parasitoid whose larvae develop within host caterpillars.
Marasmia
Marasmia is a genus of moths in the family Crambidae, subfamily Spilomelinae. It was established by Julius Lederer in 1863 and is currently treated as a synonym of Cnaphalocrocis in most modern taxonomic databases, though it remains in use in some literature. The genus includes species that are significant agricultural pests, particularly of rice crops. The best-known species, Marasmia ruralis (also known as Cnaphalocrocis medinalis or the rice leaf roller), causes substantial damage to global rice production by folding leaves for feeding and shelter.
Marasmia trapezalis
Trapeze Moth
Marasmia trapezalis is a widely distributed moth in the family Crambidae, first described by Guenée in 1854. The species occurs across Africa, the Pacific region, Australia, and parts of the Americas including the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Peru. It has been recorded from the Galápagos Islands and various regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The species is known by the common name "Trapeze Moth" and has accumulated over 660 citizen science observations on iNaturalist.
Margaroniini
Margaroniini is the most species-rich tribe within the subfamily Spilomelinae (Crambidae), comprising approximately 1,116 species across 74 genera. The tribe was established in 1889 and includes numerous economically significant agricultural pests. Many species have larvae that feed on cultivated crops, causing substantial damage to legumes, cucurbits, olives, peaches, coconuts, and box trees.
Maruca vitrata
legume pod borer, maruca pod borer, bean pod borer, soybean pod borer, mung moth, spotted pod borer
Maruca vitrata is a pantropical moth and major agricultural pest of leguminous crops, particularly affecting cowpea, pigeon pea, mung bean, and soybean. Larvae feed on flower buds, flowers, and young pods, causing yield losses of 20–80% in susceptible cowpea varieties. The species has low genetic differentiation across its range due to high gene flow, with populations in India showing evidence of recent demographic expansion. It serves as host for several parasitoid wasps (Braconidae, Ichneumonidae) and flies (Tachinidae) that provide biological control.
Mecyna
Mecyna is a genus of moths in the family Crambidae, subfamily Spilomelinae. The genus was established by Henry Doubleday in 1849 and contains approximately 35 described species distributed across Europe, Asia, and North America. Species in this genus are generally small to medium-sized moths with varied coloration including brown, yellow, and white patterns.
Mecyna sp-one
Mecyna sp-one is a species of moth in the family Crambidae, subfamily Spilomelinae. As a member of the genus Mecyna, it belongs to a group of small to medium-sized crambid moths. The specific epithet "sp-one" indicates this is a placeholder designation for an undescribed or informally recognized species. Records of this taxon are limited in published literature.
Mesolia baboquivariella
Mesolia baboquivariella is a species of moth in the family Crambidae. It was described by William D. Kearfott in 1907 based on specimens from Arizona. The species is known from a small number of records and remains poorly documented in the scientific literature.
Mesostenus thoracicus
Mesostenus thoracicus is a species of ichneumon wasp in the family Ichneumonidae. The genus Mesostenus comprises approximately ten species in North America north of Mexico, with bold black, white, and red coloration typical of the group. Members of this genus are parasitoids that target caterpillars, particularly those in the moth families Pyralidae, Crambidae, and Tortricidae. Females possess a long, tail-like ovipositor used to deposit eggs in host insects, while males lack this structure.
Metaxmeste nubicola
The Tundra Moth
Metaxmeste nubicola is a species of moth in the family Crambidae, first described by Eugene G. Munroe in 1954. It is known from high-elevation localities in western North America, specifically Colorado and Washington. The species is associated with arctic-alpine environments, reflected in its common name 'The Tundra Moth'. As a member of the subfamily Odontiinae, it belongs to a group of small to medium-sized crambid moths.
Microcausta bipunctalis
Microcausta bipunctalis is a species of moth in the family Crambidae, first described by William Barnes and James Halliday McDunnough in 1914. It is a small North American moth with limited documented records. The species name refers to two spots ('bi-' meaning two, 'punctalis' meaning spotted).
Microcrambus
Microcrambus is a genus of grass-veneer moths in the family Crambidae, subfamily Crambinae. The genus was established by Polish lepidopterist Stanisław Błeszyński in 1963 and contains approximately 50 described species distributed primarily in the Americas. Species in this genus are small moths characterized by narrow wings and relatively simple wing patterns. Many species were originally described in other genera and later transferred to Microcrambus based on genitalic and external morphological characters.
Microcrambus discludellus
Microcrambus discludellus is a small grass moth in the family Crambidae. It was described by Heinrich Benno Möschler in 1890. The species has a Caribbean-North American distribution pattern, occurring in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Colombia, and the southeastern United States. It belongs to the genus Microcrambus, which contains small, often pale-colored crambid moths.
Microtheoris ophionalis
Yellow-veined Moth
Microtheoris ophionalis, commonly known as the yellow-veined moth, is a crambid moth species first described by Francis Walker in 1859. It is widely distributed across the Americas, ranging from southern Canada through the United States and Mexico to South America. The species is relatively well-documented with over 2,300 observations on iNaturalist, suggesting it is common and readily encountered by observers.
Microtheoris vibicalis
Whip-marked Snout Moth
Microtheoris vibicalis is a small crambid moth native to the south-central United States. It was described by Zeller in 1873 and is commonly known as the whip-marked snout moth. The species is characterized by its diminutive size and extended seasonal activity.
Microthyris prolongalis
Microthyris prolongalis is a crambid moth described by Achille Guenée in 1854. It has a wingspan of approximately 33 mm and occurs from Brazil northward through Central America, the Caribbean, and into the southern United States (Texas and Florida). Adults are active during multiple months in Florida, with records from June, October, and December. The larvae feed on Ipomoea species.
Mimophobetron
Mimophobetron is a monotypic moth genus in the family Crambidae, established by Eugene G. Munroe in 1950. The genus contains a single species, Mimophobetron pyropsalis, originally described by George Hampson in 1904. It is found in parts of Central America, the Caribbean, and the southeastern United States.
Mimorista
Mimorista is a genus of snout moths in the family Crambidae, subfamily Spilomelinae. The genus was established by William Warren in 1890 and contains approximately 15 described species distributed primarily in the Americas. Most species were described in the early 20th century by entomologists such as Hampson and Möschler. The genus is placed within the diverse and species-rich subfamily Spilomelinae, one of the largest groups of pyraloid moths.