Range-expanding
Guides
Eoreuma loftini
Mexican rice borer, Mexican Rice-borer Moth
Eoreuma loftini, the Mexican rice borer, is a small moth in the family Crambidae described by Harrison Gray Dyar Jr. in 1917. It is a significant agricultural pest of sugarcane, rice, corn, sorghum, and lemongrass in the southern United States and Mexico. The species is invasive in the U.S. and is expanding its range northward at approximately 15 miles per year, having spread from Texas into Louisiana and Florida since 1980. Larval feeding inside plant stems causes characteristic damage including 'deadhearting' and 'whiteheading' in rice, and stem rot in lemongrass, resulting in substantial yield losses.
Meconema meridionale
Southern Oak Bush-cricket
Meconema meridionale is a small bush-cricket in the family Tettigoniidae, native to southern Europe and expanding northward. It measures 14–17 mm in body length (excluding antennae). The species is carnivorous, arboreal, and nocturnal. It has been documented as a predator of the invasive horse-chestnut leaf miner (Cameraria ohridella). Since 2001, it has established populations in the United Kingdom, representing a northward range expansion linked to climate change.
Schinia nubila
Camphorweed Flower Moth, Brown Flower Moth
Schinia nubila, known as the camphorweed flower moth or brown flower moth, is a small noctuid moth described by Herman Strecker in 1876. The species has a wingspan of 22–24 mm and completes one generation annually. Larvae have been documented feeding on Heterotheca subaxillaris and Solidago species. Its geographic range spans from Oklahoma to New Jersey, south to Florida and Texas, with documented expansion northeastward.
Spoladea recurvalis
Beet Webworm Moth, Hawaiian Beet Webworm Moth, Amaranth Leaf-Webber
Spoladea recurvalis is a small crambid moth with a global tropical and subtropical distribution. The species is a documented agricultural pest, with larvae feeding primarily on Amaranthus species (amaranth) as well as spinach, beet, and other crops. Adults require nectar feeding for survival and exhibit temperature-dependent flight activity. The species has been introduced to temperate regions including Europe and North America, where it continues to expand its range. It serves as host for the larval endoparasitoid Apanteles hemara, which has been studied for biological control potential.