Crambidae
Guides
Sitochroa dasconalis
Pearly Indigo Borer
Sitochroa dasconalis is a North American crambid moth known as the Pearly Indigo Borer. First described by Francis Walker in 1859, it occurs from the northeastern United States west to Texas. The species is notable for its larval specialization on Baptisia tinctoria, a leguminous plant commonly called wild indigo. Adults are active during spring and early summer.
Spilomelinae
Pearl Moths
Spilomelinae is a species-rich subfamily of Crambidae (crambid snout moths) containing approximately 4,180 described species in 351 genera worldwide, making it the most diverse group among pyraloid moths. Formerly treated as tribe Spilomelini within Pyraustinae, it was elevated to subfamily status based on phylogenetic studies. The subfamily includes numerous agricultural pests as well as the invasive box tree moth (Cydalima perspectalis).
Spilomelini
Spilomelini is a tribe of moths in the family Crambidae, subfamily Spilomelinae, erected by Achille Guenée in 1854. The tribe currently comprises 17 genera containing approximately 135 described species. Members are distributed across tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. The tribe includes several economically significant agricultural pests, particularly in the genus Cnaphalocrocis.
Stegea
Stegea is a genus of moths in the family Crambidae, subfamily Glaphyriinae. The genus was erected by Munroe in 1964 and contains approximately eleven described species distributed across North America, the Caribbean, and Central America. Species within this genus are generally small moths with relatively simple wing patterns.
Stegea mexicana
Stegea mexicana is a moth in the family Crambidae, described by Munroe in 1964. It is known from a single locality in Veracruz, Mexico. Very little is documented about this species beyond its original description and basic taxonomic placement.
Stegea powelli
Stegea powelli is a moth in the family Crambidae, first described by Munroe in 1972. It is known from California in western North America. The species belongs to the subfamily Glaphyriinae, a group of small to medium-sized moths often associated with grasses and other herbaceous plants. Very little is known about its biology or ecology.
Stegea sola
Stegea sola is a species of moth in the family Crambidae, described by Munroe in 1972. It belongs to the subfamily Glaphyriinae. The species has been recorded from southern Texas, though knowledge of its biology and distribution remains limited.
Steniodes declivalis
Steniodes declivalis is a small crambid moth described by Harrison Gray Dyar Jr. in 1914. It is distinguished from the similar Steniodes gelliasalis by its smaller size, darker coloration, and a sharply angled whitish outer line on the hindwings that touches the outer margin. The species occurs in Panama, Costa Rica, and Venezuela.
Sufetula
Sufetula is a pantropical genus of moths in the family Crambidae (subfamily Lathrotelinae), established by Walker in 1859. The genus contains at least 32 described species, including several that are economically significant pests of cultivated plants. Sufetula anania is a destructive root borer of pineapple (Ananas comosus) in Central America, causing damage that can destroy the root system. Sufetula culshawi, described in 2024, is a previously unrecognized species associated with cultivated palms (Areca Palm, Chrysalidocarpus lutescens), spread through horticultural trade. Larvae of at least some species are root-feeders that create tunnels within plant tissues.
Sufetula carbonalis
Sufetula carbonalis is a small crambid moth described in 2013 from Florida. The species name refers to its dark charcoal-colored wing markings. Adults are active across multiple months, with larval stages suspected to feed on palm roots.
Surattha
Surattha is a genus of grass moths in the family Crambidae. The genus was synonymized with Prionapteryx in 1967 but was later reinstated as valid by Bassi and Mey in 2011. The genus includes approximately 16 described species distributed across Africa, Asia, and North America. At least one species, S. indentella, has been documented as associated with buffalograss (Bouteloua dactyloides).
Syngamia
Syngamia is a genus of moths in the family Crambidae, subfamily Spilomelinae, established by Guenée in 1854. The genus contains approximately 24 recognized species distributed across tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Members are small to medium-sized pyraloid moths, with several species exhibiting distinctive color patterns including orange, yellow, or violet markings.
Tehama
western lawn moth (for sole species Tehama bonifatella)
Tehama is a monotypic genus of moths in the family Crambidae, established by George D. Hulst in 1888. The genus contains a single species, Tehama bonifatella, commonly known as the western lawn moth. This small moth is distributed across northern North America, including Greenland, Canada, and the western United States, where it inhabits grassland ecosystems. The larvae feed on grasses, making it one of the few crambid moths associated with lawn and turf habitats.
Tehama bonifatella
Western Lawn Moth
Tehama bonifatella, the western lawn moth, is a small grass moth in the family Crambidae. It is the sole species in the monotypic genus Tehama. The species is associated with grassland habitats and has been recorded across western and northern North America, including Greenland.
Terastia
Terastia is a genus of snout moths (Crambidae) comprising eight species distributed across tropical regions worldwide. First described by Achille Guenée in 1854 with Terastia meticulosalis as the type species, the genus is currently classified within the tribe Margaroniini. Species occur in the Neotropical, Afrotropical, and Oriental realms as well as Australasia. Caterpillars are known to feed exclusively on Erythrina species (Fabaceae), a trait shared with related genera Agathodes and Liopasia.
Thaumatopsis
Thaumatopsis is a genus of grass moths in the family Crambidae, subfamily Crambinae. The genus contains approximately 15 described species distributed primarily in North America, with some species ranging into Central America. Adults are generally small to medium-sized moths with relatively plain coloration. Larvae are associated with grasses and related plants, though specific host associations remain documented for only some species.
Thaumatopsis actuellus
Thaumatopsis actuellus is a small crambid moth described by Barnes and McDunnough in 1918. It is known from limited records in Florida and Texas. The species has a wingspan of approximately 23 mm. Adult activity has been documented in May, July, and November.
Thaumatopsis crenulatella
Thaumatopsis crenulatella is a small moth in the family Crambidae, first described by William D. Kearfott in 1908. The species is known from a limited geographic range in the southwestern United States. It belongs to the subfamily Crambinae, which includes many grass-associated moths. Published records remain sparse, with few documented observations.
Thaumatopsis fernaldella
Thaumatopsis fernaldella is a species of grass moth in the family Crambidae, described by William D. Kearfott in 1905. It is a North American species with a broad distribution across the United States and Canada, primarily associated with prairie habitats. Adults are active from spring through autumn, with a relatively long flight season spanning April to October.
Thaumatopsis floridella
Floridian grass-veneer
Thaumatopsis floridella, commonly known as the Floridian grass-veneer, is a moth species in the family Crambidae. First described in 1913 by William Barnes and James Halliday McDunnough, this species exhibits a coastal distribution pattern across southeastern North America and the Caribbean. Adults are active from May through September, with a wingspan ranging from 23 to 31 mm.
Thaumatopsis magnificus
A small crambid moth described by Charles H. Fernald in 1891, found in the southwestern United States. Adults are active during early summer and possess distinctive yellow and white wing patterning.
Thaumatopsis pexellus
Woolly Grass-veneer, Woolly Grass-veneer Moth
Thaumatopsis pexellus is a grassland moth in the family Crambidae, commonly known as the woolly grass-veneer. It occurs across most of North America and is active during late summer. The species was described by Philipp Christoph Zeller in 1863. Multiple subspecies have been recognized, including forms restricted to Colorado, California, Alberta, and Mexico.
Thaumatopsis repandus
Thaumatopsis repandus is a moth in the family Crambidae, first described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1880. It is distributed across western North America, with records from British Columbia south to California and east to New Mexico and Colorado. The species belongs to the subfamily Crambinae, a group commonly known as grass moths.
Thopeutis
grass moth
Thopeutis is a genus of grass moths in the family Crambidae, subfamily Crambinae, and tribe Haimbachiini. It was established by Hübner in 1818. The genus contains six described species distributed primarily in the Americas. Some historical classifications incorrectly placed it in Pyralidae.
Trischistognatha
Trischistognatha is a genus of moths in the family Crambidae, subfamily Evergestinae. The genus was established by Warren in 1892. It contains five described species distributed in the Neotropical region.
Udea
celery leaftier moth (U. rubigalis), snout moths
Udea is a genus of snout moths in the subfamily Spilomelinae of the family Crambidae, erected by Achille Guenée in 1845. The genus comprises approximately 216 known species distributed across all continents except Antarctica, with notable diversity in Hawaii where about 41 species are native. Udea is placed in the tribe Udeini and is closely related to the genera Mnesictena, Deana, and Udeoides. The genus has been the subject of taxonomic revision, with former species transferred to other genera including Evergestis, Lirabotys, Achyra, Pyrausta, and Metasia.
Udea abstrusa
Udea abstrusa is a small crambid moth described by Eugene G. Munroe in 1966. It is distributed across western North America from the Canadian prairie provinces and northern territories south through the Rocky Mountains to Colorado and New Mexico. The species exhibits notable subspecific variation, with four recognized subspecies occupying distinct geographic ranges. Adults are active in mid-summer.
Udea itysalis
Udea itysalis is a small crambid moth described by Francis Walker in 1859. It is widely distributed across North America from British Columbia to Quebec, with southern records extending to Colorado, California, Nevada, and Arizona. A single extralimital record exists from the Sayan Mountains in Russia. The species exhibits considerable geographic variation, with nine described subspecies recognized primarily by Munroe in 1966.
Udea livida
Udea livida is a species of moth in the family Crambidae, first described by Eugene G. Munroe in 1966. The species is known from a limited number of records in western North America, specifically from British Columbia, Washington, and Utah. As a member of the genus Udea, it belongs to a diverse group of snout moths, though specific details about its biology and ecology remain poorly documented.
Udea octosignalis
Udea octosignalis is a small moth in the family Crambidae, described by George Duryea Hulst in 1886. It is known from limited records in California and Texas. The species has a wingspan of approximately 20 mm and exhibits distinctive light ocherous forewings with buff markings.
Udea radiosalis
Udea radiosalis is a small moth in the family Crambidae, first described by Möschler in 1883. The species occurs across western North America from the Canadian prairies to the southwestern United States. Like other members of its genus, it is a nocturnal insect with documented activity on flowering plants. The species is part of a group of moths that have been observed visiting apple blossoms, contributing to nocturnal pollination services in agricultural settings.
Udea rubigalis
Celery Leaftier, Greenhouse Leaftier
Udea rubigalis is a small moth in the family Crambidae, commonly known as the celery leaftier or greenhouse leaftier. The species occurs throughout the Americas, from North America through Central and South America. Larvae are polyphagous and feed on a wide variety of plants across multiple families. Adults have been documented visiting apple flowers, where they may contribute to nocturnal pollination.
Udea turmalis
Udea turmalis is a crambid moth described by Grote in 1881. It is found in western North America, with records spanning from western Canada through the western United States. Adults fly during summer months and possess distinctive wing markings that aid in identification.
Udea vacunalis
Udea vacunalis is a small crambid moth described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1881. It is known only from California, with adults active during summer months. The species is characterized by pale, nearly unmarked wings with distinctive marginal dotting on the hindwings.
Udeini
Udeini is a tribe of pyraloid moths in the family Crambidae, subfamily Spilomelinae, erected in 2019 based on three genitalic synapomorphies. It comprises nine genera and 262 species, including the large, cosmopolitan genus Udea (214 species) and several geographically restricted genera. The tribe is notable for retaining plesiomorphic characters shared with the sister group Pyraustinae, distinguishing it from other Spilomelinae.
Undulambia rarissima
Gold-lined Undulambia Moth
Undulambia rarissima is a small crambid moth described by Eugene G. Munroe in 1972. It is known from limited records in Florida, with adults active during two distinct periods: January through May and again in September. The species is considered rare, as reflected in its specific epithet. Larval biology remains poorly documented, though there is tentative association with Polystichum ferns.
Undulambia striatalis
Beautiful Undulambia Moth
Undulambia striatalis is a small moth in the family Crambidae, first described by Harrison Gray Dyar Jr. in 1906. It is distributed across the southeastern and mid-Atlantic United States, with records from Massachusetts south to Florida and west to Louisiana. Adults are active during spring and early summer. The species belongs to the subfamily Musotiminae, which includes fern-feeding moths.
Uresiphita
Uresiphita is a genus of crambid moths comprising approximately six recognized species distributed across North America, New Zealand, Europe, and the Middle East. The genus is notable for larval sequestration of quinolizidine alkaloids from leguminous host plants, a chemical defense mechanism against predators. Several species have expanded their ranges through association with introduced host plants.
Urola
Urola is a genus of moths in the family Crambidae, first described by Francis Walker in 1863. The genus is currently treated as a synonym of Argyria, though it remains in active use in some databases and taxonomic sources. Members of this genus are small to medium-sized pyraloid moths, part of the diverse grass moth group within Crambidae.
Vaxi
Vaxi is a genus of snout moths in the family Crambidae, established by Bleszynski in 1962. The genus contains five described species distributed in North America. Species in this genus are small moths associated with grassland and agricultural habitats.
Vaxi nr-auratellus
Vaxi nr-auratellus is a moth in the family Crambidae, the grass moths. The 'nr-' prefix indicates this is a near or provisional identification, suggesting morphological similarity to Vaxi aureatellus but lacking formal taxonomic confirmation. Members of this genus are generally small, nocturnal moths associated with grassy habitats.
Xanthostege plana
Xanthostege plana is a crambid moth described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1883. The species is distinguished by its striking wing coloration: dark yellow forewings with a contrasting pinkish-red fringe and translucent straw-colored hindwings. It occurs in the southwestern United States, with confirmed records from Arizona and Texas.
Xubida
Xubida is a genus of grass moths in the family Crambidae, subfamily Crambinae. The genus was established by Schaus in 1922 and contains approximately 20 described species distributed primarily in the Americas. Most species were described in the early 20th century based on specimens from the United States and Central America. The genus remains understudied, with limited ecological and biological information available for most species.
Xubida punctilineella
Xubida punctilineella is a crambid moth described by Barnes and McDunnough in 1913. The species is known from very few observations, with records limited to Florida in North America. Like other members of the genus Xubida, it is a small moth, but specific details about its biology remain poorly documented due to its rarity in collections and limited study.