Small-moths
Guides
Callima
Callima is a genus of concealer moths in the family Oecophoridae, established by Clemens in 1860. The genus includes species such as Callima argenticinctella, commonly known as the orange-headed epicallima. These are small moths that are frequently encountered at blacklight setups during nocturnal surveys. The genus has been documented from multiple continents including North America and Europe.
Chloraspilates minima
Chloraspilates minima is a species of geometrid moth described by George D. Hulst in 1898. It belongs to the genus Chloraspilates, which comprises small moths in the family Geometridae. The specific epithet "minima" suggests diminutive size relative to congeners. Beyond taxonomic placement, detailed biological information about this species remains sparse in available literature.
Dryadaula visaliella
Dryadaula visaliella is a small moth species in the family Dryadaulidae, originally described from North America in 1873. It belongs to a genus of moths often associated with dead or decaying plant material. The species is part of a small family that was historically grouped with Tineidae but is now recognized as distinct. It is occasionally encountered in citizen science observations, suggesting it is not extremely rare, though detailed biological studies remain limited.
Elaphria
Midgets
Elaphria is a genus of small moths in the family Noctuidae, commonly known as "midgets." The genus was established by Jacob Hübner in 1818 and contains approximately 100 described species distributed primarily in the Americas. These moths are typically attracted to light and are frequently encountered by entomologists using blacklight traps.
Eralea
Eralea is a genus of small moths in the family Cosmopterigidae, established by Hodges in 1962. The genus contains at least two described species: Eralea abludo and Eralea albalineella (formerly also known as E. striata). Cosmopterigidae moths are generally small with narrow wings and often exhibit metallic or contrasting color patterns. The genus is part of the superfamily Gelechioidea, a diverse group of small moths commonly known as twirler moths or micromoths.
Eriocraniella
Eriocraniella is a genus of small moths in the family Eriocraniidae, established by Viette in 1949. The genus contains eight species divided into two subgenera: Eriocraniella and Disfurcula. These moths are characterized by their diminutive size and relatively broad wings. The genus is restricted to the Nearctic region.
Homostinea
Homostinea is a genus of small moths established by Dietz in 1905. The genus contains at least two described species: Homostinea curviliniella (Dietz, 1905) and Homostinea chersadacta (Meyrick, 1932). These moths were historically classified in the family Tineidae but are now placed in Meessiidae based on modern phylogenetic studies. The genus is primarily documented from North America.
Macrorrhinia
snout moths
Macrorrhinia is a genus of snout moths in the family Pyralidae, subfamily Phycitinae. The genus was established by Ragonot in 1887, though some sources cite Barnes and McDunnough in 1913. It contains six recognized species distributed in North America. The genus is characterized by relatively small size and specific wing pattern elements, though detailed morphological studies remain limited.
Mompha cephalonthiella
Mompha cephalonthiella is a small moth species in the family Momphidae, first described by Chambers in 1871. The species was originally placed in the genus Laverna before being transferred to Mompha. Like other members of its family, it is likely associated with specific host plants, though detailed biological information remains limited in published sources.
Nasusina
Nasusina is a genus of small geometrid moths in the subfamily Larentiinae, established by Pearsall in 1908. The genus contains five described species distributed in western North America, ranging from California to British Columbia. Members are characterized by their diminutive size and relatively plain wing patterns. The genus name reflects the distinctive snout-like projection of the labial palps in some species.
Nephrogramma
Nephrogramma is a genus of small moths in the family Crambidae, subfamily Glaphyriinae. The genus was established by Munroe in 1964 and currently contains two described species: N. reniculalis and N. separata. These moths are part of the diverse pyraloid fauna, with documented observations primarily from North America.
Oditinae
Oditinae is a subfamily of small moths within the family Depressariidae, established by Lvovsky in 1996. The subfamily includes genera such as Odites and Amphitrias. Some taxonomic sources alternatively place Oditinae within Peleopodidae, reflecting ongoing classification debate. Members are primarily documented from Asia, with taxonomic studies focused on species-level revisions.
Salebriaria
snout moths
Salebriaria is a genus of small snout moths in the family Pyralidae, subfamily Phycitinae. The genus was established by Carl Heinrich in 1956 and contains approximately 24 described species, most of which were described by Neunzig in 1988 and 2003. Species are distributed primarily in North America, with records from the United States including Vermont and other regions. The genus belongs to a diverse group of pyralid moths characterized by elongated labial palps forming a snout-like projection.
Sceptea
Sceptea is a genus of small moths in the family Autostichidae, subfamily Symmocinae. The genus was described by Walsingham in 1911 and contains two described species: Sceptea aequepulvella (Chambers, 1872) and Sceptea decedens Walsingham, 1911. The name derives from Greek σκεπτέα, meaning 'to be considered'. As a member of Autostichidae, it belongs to a diverse group of gelechioid moths often characterized by narrow wings and relatively inconspicuous coloration.
Sophronia
Sophronia is a genus of small moths in the family Gelechiidae, first described by Hübner in 1825. These moths are part of the diverse gelechioid lineage, one of the largest superfamilies of Lepidoptera. The genus contains multiple species distributed across various regions, though individual species are often poorly documented in scientific literature.
Stegasta
rednecked peanutworm moths
Stegasta is a genus of small moths in the family Gelechiidae, established by Edward Meyrick in 1904. The genus contains approximately 15 described species distributed across tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, including the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Australia. The best-known species, Stegasta bosqueella (rednecked peanutworm), is a significant agricultural pest of peanut crops in South and Central America. Larvae of this species feed within closed leaflets, causing characteristic symmetrical damage patterns. Other species in the genus appear to be associated with various host plants, though detailed biology remains poorly documented for most.
Tripudia flavofasciata-complex
Tripudia flavofasciata-complex comprises a group of closely related moth species within the genus Tripudia, family Noctuidae (subfamily Erebidae). These small nocturnal moths are characterized by distinctive yellow and dark banding patterns on the forewings. The complex status indicates that species boundaries within this group remain taxonomically unresolved, with multiple cryptic or poorly differentiated species currently grouped under this designation. Members occur in North America and are part of the diverse noctuid fauna of the region.