Numbers
common to uncommon; usually occurs in small numbers
Identification
Adult: forewing brownish-orange with long white or silvery stripe, tapered at both ends; width of stripe at base less than or equal to distance from stripe to costa; several thin black lines run from white stripe to ST line, which is single and inconspicuous; subterminal area with several short whitish streaks, each terminating in a black dot; oblique dark streak at apex, surrounded by whitish wedges; fringe white or pale yellowish; hindwing pale brownish-gray to whitish with white fringe
Range
United States and southern Canada east of the Rockies
Habitat
fields, weedy areas, waste places; adults rest in grass or weeds during day, becoming active at dusk, and are attracted to light
Season
May to September in the north; April to October in mid-latitudes; probably all year in southern Florida and Texas
Food
larvae feed on grasses and cereal grains
Life Cycle
one to several generations per year; eggs are laid while flying low over ground; larvae feed nocturnally for 3-4 weeks; life cycle lasts 5-8 weeks
Remarks
Moths of North Dakota page mentions range extending to California but the species name does not appear on this
California Moth List See Also
Leach's Grass-veneer (
C. leachellus) width of forewing stripe at base greater than distance between stripe and costa
Eastern Grass-veneer (
C. laqueatellus) forewing has double stripe (i.e. white area divided by brown strip)
Double-banded Grass-veneer (
C. agitatellus) forewing has double ST line, and several double black streaks running from white stripe to ST line
see adult images by Jim Vargo of
other related species at MPG
Internet References
live and pinned adult images by various photographers (Moth Photographers Group)
pinned adult image plus description, common name reference [Common Grass-veneer], similar species, distribution, foodplants (Gerald Fauske, Moths of North Dakota)
pinned adult image (David Smith, Furman U., South Carolina)
comprehensive overview plus common name reference [Silver-striped Webworm] written in 1923 [page 1 of 12] (George Ainslie, US Dept. of Agriculture)
larval foodplants plus flight season (Ohio State U.)
overview of biology and control of sod webworms in general (Texas A&M U.)
presence in Florida; list (John Heppner, Florida State Collection of Arthropods)
