Genus Homaledra

Classification · Numbers · Size · Identification · Range · Season · Food · See Also · Internet References

Palm leaf housemaker - Homaledra heptathalama

Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)

No Taxon (Moths)

Superfamily Gelechioidea

Family Batrachedridae

Genus Homaledra

Numbers

2 species in North America listed at All-Leps

Size

wingspan 18-20 mm, based on photos of both species by Jim Vargo at MPG

Identification

Adult: forewing light brown (in sabalela) to brownish-orange (in heptathalama), very slender, almost parallel-sided for most of length, tapering to a rounded point at apex; mostly unmarked in sabalela but with white exclamation-like marking in heptathalama; hindwing consists of a rod-like or spike-like midrib; all wings with long fringe of hair-like scales, very prominent in spread specimens, but hidden beneath forewings (which are hugged close to the body) in live individuals at rest

Range

South Carolina to Florida, west to Louisiana

Season

adults of H. heptathalama are present from March to October in Florida

Food

larvae feed on leaves of palmetto (Sabal spp.)

See Also

other genera and families in the superfamily Gelechiodea are similar

Internet References

pinned adult images of both North American species by Jim Vargo (Moth Photographers Group)

Contributed by Robin McLeod on 26 May, 2006 - 7:42pm

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