Lichen-moth
Guides
Acsala anomala
Rockslide Lichen Moth
Acsala anomala, commonly known as the Rockslide Lichen Moth, is a rare and poorly known species of lichen moth in the family Erebidae. It represents the sole member of its genus and the monotypic tribe Acsalina. The species is endemic to Alaska, where it inhabits rocky alpine environments. Its biology and ecology remain largely undocumented due to its restricted range and apparent rarity.
Afrida ydatodes
Dyar's Lichen Moth
Afrida ydatodes, commonly known as Dyar's lichen moth, is a small moth species in the family Nolidae. It was described by Harrison Gray Dyar Jr. in 1913. The species is found in the southeastern United States, with records from Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Texas. Adults have a wingspan of approximately 10 mm and can be distinguished from the similar Afrida cosmiogramma by their diffused, irrorated wing pattern with clouded central band edges.
Agylla septentrionalis
Agylla septentrionalis is a moth species in the family Erebidae, described by William Barnes and James Halliday McDunnough in 1911. It is recorded from North America, with specific localities including Arizona and South Carolina. The species has a wingspan of approximately 37 mm. It belongs to the subfamily Arctiinae (tiger moths) and tribe Lithosiini (lichen moths).
Cisthene angelus
angel lichen moth
Cisthene angelus is a small moth in the family Erebidae, subfamily Arctiinae, described by Harrison Gray Dyar Jr. in 1904. It belongs to the lichen moth tribe Lithosiini, characterized by larvae that feed on lichens. The species occurs in arid and semi-arid regions of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Like other tiger moths in the genus Cisthene, it likely produces ultrasonic clicks as a defense against bat predation, though this specific behavior has not been directly documented in C. angelus.
Cisthene conjuncta
White-streaked Lichen Moth
Cisthene conjuncta is a small lichen moth in the family Erebidae, described by Barnes and McDunnough in 1913. It is restricted to southern Texas, where adults fly in March, July, and October. The species has a wingspan of approximately 15 mm. As a member of the genus Cisthene, it belongs to a group of tiger moths known for acoustic aposematism, though specific behavioral studies have not been conducted on this particular species.
Cisthene coronado
Cisthene coronado is a moth species in the family Erebidae, subfamily Arctiinae, tribe Lithosiini. Described by Carroll B. Knowlton in 1967, it is currently known only from the US state of Arizona. As a member of the lichen moth genus Cisthene, it likely exhibits the typical aposematic coloration and lichen-mimicking appearance characteristic of this group, though specific details of its biology remain poorly documented.
Cisthene juanita
Juanita's Lichen Moth
Cisthene juanita is a tiger moth species in the family Erebidae, first described by William Barnes and Foster Hendrickson Benjamin in 1925. It is endemic to southern Arizona, United States. As a member of the genus Cisthene, it belongs to a group of lichen moths known for their often striking color patterns. Related species in this genus have been documented to produce acoustic warning signals to deter bat predators, a behavior termed acoustic aposematism.
Cisthene kentuckiensis
Kentucky Lichen Moth
Cisthene kentuckiensis, known as the Kentucky lichen moth, is a species of lichen moth in the family Erebidae. It was described by Harrison Gray Dyar Jr. in 1904. The species is found in the eastern and central United States, with larvae that feed on lichens.
Cisthene martini
Martin's Lichen Moth
Cisthene martini, known as Martin's Lichen Moth, is a small erebid moth described by Carroll B. Knowlton in 1967. It is restricted to the southwestern United States, occurring in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. The species is one of approximately 40 members of the genus Cisthene in North America, a group commonly referred to as lichen moths due to their typical association with lichen-dominated habitats and cryptic coloration patterns.
Cisthene packardii
Packard's Lichen Moth
Cisthene packardii, commonly known as Packard's lichen moth, is a small erebid moth described by Grote in 1863. It occurs in the eastern and central United States, with adults active nearly year-round in southern portions of its range. The species is associated with lichen-rich habitats and its larvae feed specifically on algae and lichens.
Cisthene picta
Pictured Lichen Moth
Cisthene picta is a small lichen moth in the family Erebidae, described by Barnes and McDunnough in 1918. Adults are active from August to October in desert habitats of the southwestern United States. The species has a wingspan of approximately 18 mm.
Cisthene plumbea
Lead-colored Lichen Moth
Cisthene plumbea is a small tiger moth in the family Erebidae, first described by Richard Harper Stretch in 1885. It is found in eastern North America, where larvae feed on lichen. The species exhibits bivoltine or trivoltine life cycles depending on latitude, with adults active from June through September.
Cisthene striata
Striated Lichen Moth
Cisthene striata, described by Rodrigues Ottolengui in 1898, is a small lichen moth in the family Erebidae. It is known from a limited distribution in the eastern and central United States, with records from Maryland, Colorado, Georgia, and Florida. The species has a wingspan of approximately 17 mm. Adults have been recorded on wing year-round in Florida, suggesting continuous breeding activity in warmer portions of its range.
Cisthene subjecta
Subject Lichen Moth
Cisthene subjecta, commonly known as the subject lichen moth, is a small tiger moth in the family Erebidae. It was first described by Francis Walker in 1854. The species is endemic to the southeastern United States and is active year-round as an adult. With a wingspan of approximately 12 mm, it belongs to a genus whose members have been documented to produce acoustic warning signals to deter bat predators.
Cisthene tenuifascia schwarziorum
Cisthene tenuifascia schwarziorum is a subspecies of lichen moth in the family Erebidae. As a member of the genus Cisthene, it belongs to a group of small, often brightly patterned tiger moths. The genus Cisthene is part of the tribe Lithosiini, which includes species commonly known as lichen moths due to their frequent association with lichen-covered substrates. This subspecies was described from populations in the southwestern United States.
Cisthenina
Cisthenina is a subtribe of lichen moths within the family Erebidae, containing approximately 428 described species. Members were formerly classified as the tribe Cisthenini in the subfamily Lithosiinae of the family Arctiidae, but were reclassified following taxonomic revisions of the tiger moth group. The subtribe is characterized by its association with lichen-based camouflage patterns. It represents a well-documented lineage with substantial observational data.
Clemensia umbrata
Little Shaded Lichen Moth
Clemensia umbrata is a moth in the family Erebidae, described by Packard in 1872. It is known as the Little Shaded Lichen Moth and occurs in forested regions of North America. The species belongs to the lichen moth tribe Lithosiini, whose larvae feed on lichens. Adults are nocturnal and are attracted to light.
Crambidia pallida
Pale Lichen Moth
Crambidia pallida, commonly known as the pale lichen moth, is a North American moth species in the family Erebidae. First described by Packard in 1864, it occurs across a broad geographic range spanning eastern and central North America. The species inhabits forest and woodland environments. As a member of the lichen moth tribe Lithosiini, adults are likely associated with lichen-based ecology, though specific life history details remain poorly documented in available sources.
Crambidia uniformis
Uniform Lichen Moth
Crambidia uniformis, commonly known as the uniform lichen moth, is a small moth species in the family Erebidae. It was first described by Harrison Gray Dyar Jr. in 1898. The species is characterized by its relatively uniform coloration and modest size, with a wingspan ranging from 12–18 mm. It is distributed across eastern North America, where it inhabits a variety of terrestrial environments.
Crambidia xanthocorpa
Yellow-bodied Lichen Moth
Crambidia xanthocorpa, commonly known as the Yellow-bodied Lichen Moth, is a species of lichen moth in the family Erebidae. Described by Lewis in 2014, it is a relatively recently recognized species within the genus Crambidia. The species is characterized by its distinctive yellow coloration, which is reflected in both its specific epithet (xanthocorpa, meaning 'yellow body') and its common name. It belongs to a genus of moths whose larvae are known to feed on lichens.
Eudesmia arida
Arid Eudesmia Moth
Eudesmia arida is a small moth in the family Erebidae, first described by Skinner in 1906. It occurs in the southwestern United States and Mexico, where adults are active during summer and early autumn. The species has a wingspan of 23–30 mm.
Hypoprepia cadaverosa
Cadaver Lichen Moth
Hypoprepia cadaverosa is a small moth in the family Erebidae, described by Herman Strecker in 1878. It is known from scattered localities in the western and south-central United States, with records from Colorado, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, South Dakota, and South Carolina. Adults are active from May to August and have distinctive pale ochreous wings marked with slate-colored bands.
Hypoprepia miniata
Scarlet-winged Lichen Moth, Scarlet Lichen Moth
A small lichen moth with bright scarlet forewings marked by black bands. Adults are active from spring through late summer depending on region, with western populations peaking in mid-summer and eastern populations appearing earlier and persisting longer. The species was first described in 1837 and remains common across much of North America.
Inopsis
Inopsis is a genus of moths in the family Erebidae, subfamily Arctiinae, and tribe Lithosiini. The genus was established by Felder in 1874 and contains five described species distributed in the Neotropical region. These moths belong to the lichen moth group (Lithosiini), which are generally small to medium-sized with cryptic coloration.
Lerina
Lerina is a monotypic genus of lichen moths in the family Erebidae, subfamily Arctiinae, tribe Lithosiini. The genus contains a single species, Lerina incarnata, commonly known as the crimson-bodied lichen moth. This moth is native to arid regions of southwestern North America, specifically Mexico and southern Arizona. The genus was established by Francis Walker in 1854.
Lerina incarnata
crimson-bodied lichen moth
Lerina incarnata, the crimson-bodied lichen moth, is the sole member of the monotypic genus Lerina. The species was first described by Francis Walker in 1854. It belongs to the family Erebidae, subfamily Arctiinae (tiger and lichen moths), and tribe Lithosiini (lichen moths). The species is found in Mexico and southern Arizona.
Lycomorpha
black-and-yellow lichen moths
Lycomorpha is a genus of lichen moths in the family Erebidae, established by Thaddeus William Harris in 1839. The genus comprises six described species distributed primarily in North America, with some species extending into the Neotropics. Members are known for their striking black-and-yellow or black-and-orange coloration and their participation in Müllerian mimicry complexes with net-winged beetles (family Lycidae). The best-studied species, L. pholus, is exclusively diurnal and retains functional hearing despite isolation from bat predation.
Pagara
Pagara is a monotypic moth genus in the family Erebidae, established by Francis Walker in 1856. Its sole species, Pagara simplex (the mouse-colored lichen moth), occurs across the eastern and central United States. The genus belongs to the subfamily Arctiinae (tussock moths) and tribe Lithosiini (lichen moths). Adults are small with a wingspan of approximately 23 mm. Formerly, Pagara fuscipes was included but has been reclassified.