Crambidae
Guides
Mimorista trimaculalis
Mimorista trimaculalis is a small crambid moth described by Grote in 1878. It occurs in arid and semi-arid regions of the southwestern United States. Adults are active during the warm season, with records spanning May through September. The species name refers to the three spots (tri-maculalis) characteristic of its wing pattern.
Mimorista tristigmalis
Mimorista tristigmalis is a crambid moth described by Hampson in 1898. It is found in Cuba and Florida, USA. Adults have a wingspan of 25–28 mm and display distinctive black markings on ochreous-white forewings. The species shows multi-peak adult activity in Florida, occurring in winter, spring, and late autumn.
Mojavia achemonalis
Pink Bantam
Mojavia achemonalis, known as the Pink Bantam, is a small moth and the sole species in its genus. It belongs to the family Crambidae (snout moths) and is restricted to arid regions of the southwestern United States. The species was first described in 1914 and remains poorly known biologically.
Munroeodes
Munroeodes is a genus of snout moths in the family Crambidae, subfamily Pyraustinae. It was erected by Amsel in 1957 and contains four described species distributed across the Neotropical region. The genus is characterized by distinctive wing patterns and transparent areas in some species.
Musotiminae
Musotiminae is a subfamily of snout moths (Crambidae) established by Edward Meyrick in 1884. The group comprises approximately 20 genera distributed primarily in tropical and subtropical regions, with notable diversity in the Oriental and Australasian regions. Several species have been studied for their specialized associations with Lygodium climbing ferns, with some investigated as potential biological control agents for invasive fern populations. The subfamily was historically classified within Pyralidae but is now placed in Crambidae.
Nacoleia
Banana scab moth (for N. octasema)
Nacoleia is a genus of moths in the family Crambidae, subfamily Pyraustinae. The genus includes agricultural pests, most notably Nacoleia octasema (banana scab moth), which damages banana crops in tropical Asia and the Pacific. Some species serve as hosts for polyembryonic parasitoid wasps. The genus was established by Walker in 1859.
Nacoleia charesalis
Nacoleia charesalis is a moth species in the family Crambidae, first described by Francis Walker in 1859. The species exhibits a broad Indo-Pacific distribution spanning from South Asia through Southeast Asia to Australia and the western Indian Ocean. Larvae have been documented feeding on several species of Shorea (Dipterocarpaceae), indicating a specialized association with this tree genus.
Neargyractis
Neargyractis is a genus of aquatic moths in the family Crambidae, subfamily Acentropinae. The genus was established by W.H. Lange in 1956 during a revision of North American aquatic moths. It contains at least eight described species distributed primarily in the Americas.
Neodactria caliginosellus
Black Grass-veneer, Corn Root Webworm
Neodactria caliginosellus is a crambid moth known by two common names: black grass-veneer and corn root webworm. The species was described in 1860 and occurs across much of North America. Larvae are documented pests of turf grasses and corn. Adults inhabit grassy areas and agricultural fields.
Neodactria murellus
prairie sedge moth
Neodactria murellus is a North American crambid moth described by Harrison Gray Dyar Jr. in 1904. It is strongly associated with tallgrass prairie ecosystems and has a broad distribution across the continent, from British Columbia and Alberta to the Great Plains and eastern deciduous forests. Adults are active during spring and summer months. The species is one of relatively few moth taxa specialized to prairie habitats.
Neoleucinodes prophetica
potato tree borer
Neoleucinodes prophetica, commonly known as the potato tree borer, is a small moth in the family Crambidae. The species was described by Harrison Gray Dyar Jr. in 1914. It has been recorded across the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and southern Florida. The larvae are specialized fruit borers on Solanum host plants.
Neomusotima
Neomusotima is a genus of crambid moths established by Yoshiyasu in 1985, containing at least two species: N. conspurcatalis (Warren, 1896) and N. fuscolinealis Yoshiyasu, 1985. The genus is best known for N. conspurcatalis, which has been extensively studied as a biological control agent against the invasive Old World climbing fern (Lygodium microphyllum) in Florida. This species exhibits highly specific host associations with ferns, with genomic studies revealing expansions in odorant receptor gene families potentially linked to host plant detection.
Noctueliopsis
Noctueliopsis is a genus of crambid moths established by Munroe in 1961. The genus contains approximately twelve described species, primarily distributed in western North America from the southwestern United States through Mexico. Species within this genus were previously classified under other genera such as Loxostege and Phlyctaenia before being reassigned based on genitalic morphology. The genus is characterized by distinctive wing patterns and male genitalia features that separate it from related crambine genera.
Noctueliopsis aridalis
Zigzag Bantam
Noctueliopsis aridalis is a small desert-dwelling moth in the family Crambidae, commonly known as the Zigzag Bantam. It was described by William Barnes and Foster Hendrickson Benjamin in 1922. The species is restricted to arid regions of the southwestern United States.
Noctueliopsis brunnealis
Brown Bantam
Noctueliopsis brunnealis is a crambid moth described by Eugene G. Munroe in 1972. It occurs in the southwestern United States and exhibits bimodal adult flight activity. The species is known by the common name Brown Bantam.
Noctueliopsis rhodoxanthinalis
Noctueliopsis rhodoxanthinalis is a species of moth in the family Crambidae, subfamily Odontiinae. It was described by Eugene G. Munroe in 1974 based on specimens from Texas. The species is known from very few records and remains poorly documented.
Nomophila nearctica
Lucerne Moth, Clover Nomophila, False Webworm, Celery Stalkworm, American Celery Webworm
Nomophila nearctica is a crambid moth with broad distribution across North America and southward into the Neotropics. Adults are active from spring through late autumn. The species is notable for its narrow, elongated wing profile and association with low-growing herbaceous vegetation. Larvae feed on a range of plants including grasses, legumes, and celery, making it occasionally significant in agricultural contexts.
Nomophilini
Nomophilini is a tribe within the subfamily Spilomelinae of the Crambidae moth family. The tribe was erected in 1979 and contains 24 genera with approximately 358 species. It includes economically significant genera such as Nomophila, which contains the rice leaffolder (Nomophila noctuella), a notable agricultural pest. The tribe is characterized by diverse feeding habits across its constituent genera.
Nymphuliella daeckealis
China Mark Moth
Nymphuliella daeckealis, commonly known as the China Mark Moth, is the sole species in the monotypic genus Nymphuliella. It was first described by F. Haimbach in 1915 under the basionym Diathrausta daeckealis. The genus was established by William Harry Lange in 1956. The species belongs to the subfamily Acentropinae within the family Crambidae.
Odontiinae
Odontiinae is a subfamily of moths in the family Crambidae, containing approximately 100 genera organized into three tribes: Hercynini, Eurrhypini, and Odontiini. The subfamily exhibits a distinctive biogeographic pattern with exceptional diversity in arid and semi-arid regions, particularly in southwestern North America and western/central Asia. North American species show strong southwestern eremic specialization, with 34 of 57 species restricted to arid habitats, contrasting with depauperate eastern faunas. The group includes both widespread temperate species and highly restricted endemics in alpine and desert environments.
Odontivalvia
Odontivalvia is a monotypic genus of crambid moths established by Munroe in 1973. The sole species, Odontivalvia radialis, is recorded from Texas. Larvae are known to feed on Leucophyllum minus and construct distinctive silken tunnels covered with frass on host plant branches.
Oenobotys texanalis
A small moth in the family Crambidae, described in 1976 from Texas specimens. The specific epithet refers to its Texas type locality. As a member of Pyraustinae, it belongs to a diverse subfamily of grass moths, though its specific biology remains poorly documented.
Oligostigmoides
A genus of aquatic moths in the family Crambidae, described by William Harry Lange in 1956. The genus contains five described species distributed from the southwestern United States through Central America to Peru. As members of the subfamily Acentropinae, these moths are associated with freshwater habitats during their larval stages.
Oligostigmoides cryptalis
Oligostigmoides cryptalis is a moth in the family Crambidae, subfamily Acentropinae. It was described by Herbert Druce in 1896 based on specimens from Mexico. The species has been recorded from montane localities in Mexico (Xalapa, Orizaba), Costa Rica, and Panama. Very few observations exist, with only three records documented on iNaturalist.
Ommatospila
Ommatospila is a genus of moths in the family Crambidae, subfamily Spilomelinae. It was established by Julius Lederer in 1863 and contains three described species distributed across the Americas. The genus belongs to a diverse group of pyraloid moths commonly known as grass moths or snout moths.
Orphanostigma
Orphanostigma is a genus of moths in the family Crambidae, established by William Warren in 1890. The genus contains at least seven described species distributed across tropical and subtropical regions. One species, Orphanostigma abruptalis, has been documented as an agricultural pest of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum), where larvae fold leaves lengthwise and web them to the plant.
Ostrinia marginalis
Ostrinia marginalis is a small crambid moth described by Francis Walker in 1866. It is found across northern North America from Newfoundland and Maine westward through the Canadian provinces to the Yukon and Northwest Territories. The species is associated with wetland habitats, specifically bogs and marshes. Its larvae feed on Rumex (dock) and Polygonum (knotweed) species.
Ostrinia penitalis
American lotus borer
Ostrinia penitalis, commonly known as the American lotus borer, is a moth in the family Crambidae described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1876. It has a broad geographic distribution spanning from Mexico through Central America to Amazonas, Brazil, as well as across much of North America from Quebec to British Columbia and throughout most of the United States. The species is associated with wetland habitats, particularly marshes and pondsides.
Oxyelophila
Oxyelophila is a genus of crambid moths in the subfamily Acentropinae, described by William Trowbridge Merrifield Forbes in 1922. The genus comprises eight described species distributed in the Neotropical region. As a member of Acentropinae, it belongs to a group commonly known as aquatic or semiaquatic moths, though specific ecological data for Oxyelophila remain limited.
Palpita
Palpita Moths
Palpita is a genus of crambid moths in the family Crambidae, subfamily Spilomelinae. The genus includes numerous species distributed across multiple continents, with several species recognized as significant agricultural pests. Notable pest species include Palpita forficifera and Palpita unionalis, which are major pests of olive trees in Brazil, Uruguay, and the Mediterranean region. Other species such as Palpita (Diaphania) indica feed on cucurbits, while Palpita flegia feeds on Cascabela thevetia. The genus is taxonomically complex, with members of the genus Stemorrhages appearing very similar in appearance.
Palpita aenescentalis
Palpita aenescentalis is a moth species in the family Crambidae, described by Eugene G. Munroe in 1952. It is known from eastern and central North America, with records spanning from Canada to the southeastern United States. The species belongs to a large genus of snout moths, many of which are associated with woody plants.
Palpita atrisquamalis
Gracile Palpita Moth
Palpita atrisquamalis is a moth in the family Crambidae, currently treated as a synonym of Palpita gracilalis. It is known from western and south-central North America, ranging from California eastward to Texas and Oklahoma. The species belongs to the subfamily Spilomelinae, a diverse group of snout moths.
Palpita freemanalis
Freeman's Palpita Moth
Palpita freemanalis is a small crambid moth in the subfamily Spilomelinae, described by Eugene G. Munroe in 1952. It occurs across the southeastern and central United States, with adults active primarily during late summer. The species is characterized by its modest size and relatively broad geographic distribution within its range.
Palpita illibalis
inkblot palpita moth
Palpita illibalis, commonly known as the inkblot palpita moth, is a crambid moth described by Jacob Hübner in 1818. It occurs in the eastern and southeastern United States. The species is associated with white fringetree as a larval host. Adults are active primarily during summer months.
Parapediasia
Parapediasia is a genus of crambid moths established by Bleszynski in 1963. The genus comprises approximately twelve described species distributed primarily in the Americas. At least one species, Parapediasia teterrella, has been documented as invasive in East Asia. Adult emergence patterns have been studied in P. teterrella, showing seasonal progression in timing and consistent sex ratios.
Parapoynx
China-mark moths
Parapoynx is a genus of aquatic moths in the family Crambidae, subfamily Acentropinae, established by Jacob Hübner in 1825. The genus contains approximately 60 described species distributed across Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. Many species have aquatic or semi-aquatic larvae that feed on submerged aquatic plants. Several species are of economic importance as pests of rice and other aquatic crops, while others have been investigated as potential biological control agents for invasive aquatic weeds such as hydrilla.
Parapoynx diminutalis
Hydrilla leafcutter moth
Parapoynx diminutalis is an Asian aquatic moth in the family Crambidae, first described from southeast Asia in 1880. The species has established adventive populations in North America (first recorded Florida 1976), Central America (Panama), Africa, and Europe (United Kingdom). Larvae are aquatic and feed on submerged macrophytes, with documented development on Hydrilla verticillata, Chara vulgaris, Ottelia alismoides, Blyxa auberti, and Cyperus rotundus. Despite early interest as a biological control agent for invasive hydrilla, its generalist feeding habits precluded intentional release.
Parapoynx maculalis
polymorphic pondweed moth
Parapoynx maculalis, commonly known as the polymorphic pondweed moth, is a small aquatic moth in the family Crambidae. It inhabits freshwater environments across eastern North America, from Florida and Texas north to Canada. The species is distinguished by its small size, white forewings with fuscous markings, and fully aquatic larval stage that feeds on submerged plants.
Patania
mother of pearl moth
Patania is a genus of moths in the family Crambidae, subfamily Spilomelinae, established by Frederic Moore in 1888. The genus was long treated as a junior synonym of Syllepte but was reinstated as valid in 2007, rendering Pleuroptya a junior subjective synonym. The genus contains multiple species across Asia and Europe, with some species recently transferred to the reinstated genus Nagiella.
Patania silicalis
Herbivorous Patania Moth, Herbivorous Pleuroptya Moth
Patania silicalis is a small crambid moth with a wingspan of 24–26 mm, found across the Neotropics and into the eastern United States. First described by Guenée in 1854, it has undergone multiple generic reassignments and is also known under the synonym Pleuroptya silicalis. The species is notable for its broad host plant range, feeding on at least seven plant species across five families.
Petrophila
Petrophila is a genus of aquatic moths in the family Crambidae, described by Lansdown Guilding in 1830. The genus comprises approximately 30-40 species distributed primarily in North America. Larvae are fully aquatic and inhabit flowing water systems, where they graze on algae and diatoms. Adults are diurnal and typically found resting on rocks near water bodies. The genus has become a notable subject of citizen science research due to the cryptic nature of many species, which can be difficult to distinguish without detailed examination.
Petrophila daemonalis
Devil's River Petrophila
Petrophila daemonalis is a small moth in the family Crambidae, first described by Harrison Gray Dyar Jr. in 1907 (published 1908). The species is known from Texas, where it inhabits riparian environments associated with the Devils River. The common name reflects this association. As a member of the subfamily Acentropinae, it belongs to a group of crambid moths often associated with aquatic or semi-aquatic habitats.
Petrophila heppneri
Heppner's Petrophila
Petrophila heppneri is a small moth species in the family Crambidae, described in 1983 by André Blanchard and Edward C. Knudson. The species is known from Texas, where it inhabits riparian and aquatic-associated habitats typical of the genus Petrophila. Like other members of this genus, the larvae are presumed to be aquatic and feed on algae. Adults are nocturnal and can be attracted to light. The specific epithet honors Dr. J. B. Heppner, a lepidopterist who contributed significantly to the study of North American microlepidoptera.
Petrophila hodgesi
Ozark Petrophila
Petrophila hodgesi is a moth species in the family Crambidae, first described by Eugene G. Munroe in 1972. It belongs to the subfamily Acentropinae, a group commonly known as aquatic crambid snout moths due to their association with freshwater habitats. The species is endemic to the Ozark region of the south-central United States, with confirmed records from Arkansas and Oklahoma. The specific epithet honors Ronald W. Hodges, a prominent American lepidopterist who contributed significantly to the classification of North American microlepidoptera.
Petrophila longipennis
Long-winged Petrophila
Petrophila longipennis is a moth species in the family Crambidae, subfamily Acentropinae. It was described by George Hampson in 1906 based on specimens from Mexico. The species is known from only a handful of observations, with limited biological information available. Like other members of Petrophila, it is likely associated with aquatic or riparian habitats, though this has not been directly documented for this species.
Phostria oajacalis
Phostria oajacalis is a moth species in the family Crambidae, first described by Francis Walker in 1865. It is currently treated as a synonym of Phostria tedea. The species is recorded from Central America and the southern United States.
Pilocrocis
Pilocrocis is a genus of moths in the family Crambidae, subfamily Spilomelinae, erected by Julius Lederer in 1863. The genus is part of the diverse snout moth family and is distributed in North America, with confirmed records from the United States including Vermont. As a genus-level taxon, Pilocrocis encompasses multiple species-level moths, though specific species details are not well-documented in available sources.
Pogonogenys proximalis
Pogonogenys proximalis is a moth in the family Crambidae, subfamily Odontiinae. It was described by Charles H. Fernald in 1894. The species is known from a small number of records in California and Nevada, and remains poorly documented.
Polygrammodes
Polygrammodes is a genus of crambid snout moths in the subfamily Spilomelinae. The genus contains multiple species distributed primarily in the New World. Adults are typically medium-sized moths with relatively broad wings. Larval stages are associated with various host plants, though specific associations vary by species.
Polygrammodes flavidalis
Ironweed Root Moth
Polygrammodes flavidalis is a crambid moth commonly known as the ironweed root moth. It is widely distributed across eastern and central North America, with records spanning from Ontario south to Florida and west to Texas and Kansas. The common name references its association with ironweed plants (genus Vernonia).