Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
 

Register · Log In
HomeGuideID RequestRecentFrassForumsDonateHelp
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar
Upcoming Events

Photos of insects and people from the 2024 BugGuide gathering in Idaho July 24-27

Moth submissions from National Moth Week 2024

Photos of insects and people from the 2022 BugGuide gathering in New Mexico, July 20-24

Photos of insects and people from the Spring 2021 gathering in Louisiana, April 28-May 2

Photos of insects and people from the 2019 gathering in Louisiana, July 25-27

Photos of insects and people from the 2018 gathering in Virginia, July 27-29


Previous events
TaxonomyBrowse
Info
ImagesLinksBooksData
Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Pyralid and Crambid Snout Moths (Pyraloidea) » Crambid Snout Moths (Crambidae) » Acentropinae » Acentropini » Acentria » Water Veneer - Hodges#5299 (Acentria ephemerella)

Species Acentria ephemerella - Water Veneer - Hodges#5299

Classification · Hodges Number · Other Common Names · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Numbers · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · Internet References
Moth? - Acentria ephemerella Small white bug/ Mayfly or Aphid? - Acentria ephemerella Moth - Acentria ephemerella Moth - Acentria ephemerella Acentria ephemerella - male Small Moth - Acentria ephemerella - male Moth - Acentria ephemerella - male Acentria ephemerella - male
Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily Pyraloidea (Pyralid and Crambid Snout Moths)
Family Crambidae (Crambid Snout Moths)
Subfamily Acentropinae
Tribe Acentropini
Genus Acentria
Species ephemerella (Water Veneer - Hodges#5299)
Hodges Number
5299
Other Common Names
Milfoil Moth
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
formerly Acentria nivea, Acentropus niveus, Phryganea nivea
Numbers
the only species in this genus in North America
Size
wingspan 10-17 mm
Identification
Adult females are wingless and stay on the water surface; adult males have a bare grayish thorax and satiny white or pale gray wings with slightly darkened veins and outer margin.
Range
Occurs throughout Eurasia; introduced in eastern North America, spreading westward at least to Alberta
Habitat
Larvae and adult females are aquatic; adult males are found near standing or slow-moving water containing the larval food plants, but may be attracted to light at distances far from water
Season
Adult males fly from June to August
Food
Larvae feed on Eurasian watermilfoil, pondweeds (Potomogeton spp.) and Canadian waterweed (Elodea canadensis).
Life Cycle
Larvae are aquatic and overwinter underwater in cases attached to milfoil leaves; females are wingless and stay on the water surface where they breed with winged males in midsummer; univoltine (one generation per year)
Remarks
Native to Eurasia; introduced to North America in the 1920s. Attempts to use the larvae as biological control agents in the control of watermilfoil in North America have had mixed results.
Dr. Jean Francois Landry of the Canadian National Collection of Insects, Ottawa, Canada provides some interesting information:
"This is Acentria ephemerella, family Crambidae, subfamily Acentropinae. This is a very cool and unsual moth. It is widespread here and in Europe. Its larvae are subaquatic and feed on aquatic plants, mainly Canadian waterweed (Elodea canadensis) and pondweed (Potamogeton) up to a depth of 2m in standing or slow-moving water. Females come in two forms, one fully winged, the other with rudimentary wings and flightless. Wingless females swin below the water surface. Mating takes place on the water surface. Winged adults swarm at night, in June in our area. Adults live only a couple of days and winged ones can fly a great distance from the water."
Internet References
Moth Photographers Group
USGS GLANSIS
iNaturalist
Contributed by Robin McLeod on 6 February, 2005 - 11:16am
Additional contributions by Tony-2, Chuck Entz, marcie oconnor, Chuck Sexton, Blocky
Last updated 20 July, 2024 - 2:57pm

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2025 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by:

Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology at Iowa State University logo

Printer Friendly Version 		Terms of Use
Privacy Statement
Site Map
Contact