HomeGuideID RequestRecentFrassForumsDonateHelp

Giving Tuesday

Do you use BugGuide? Please consider a monetary gift on this Giving Tuesday.

Donate Now

Your donation to BugGuide is tax-deductible.

Clickable Guide

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 » Argyractini » Petrophila

Genus Petrophila

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Numbers · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · See Also · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

Feather-edged Petrophila - Petrophila fulicalis

244315 Petrophila - Petrophila bifascialis

Crambidae, Feather-edged Petrophila - Petrophila fulicalis

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 Argyractini

Genus Petrophila

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Petrophila Guilding, 1830

synonym Cataclysta Hübner, 1825

synonym Parargyractis Lange, 1956

Numbers

17 species in North America

Size

wingspan 11-24 mm

Identification

Adult: often holds forewings partly open at rest, revealing row of silver-patched black spots along outer margin of hindwings; forewing whitish to light brown with yellow to orangish transverse bands and grayish-brown speckling

Range

most of United States and southern Canada

Habitat

larvae are aquatic, living within a silken web in fast-flowing streams; adults may be flushed during the day from nearby vegetation but are nocturnal and attracted to light

Season

adults fly from June to September in the north; probably an extended season in the south

Food

larvae scrape diatoms and other algae from rocks in streams

Life Cycle

adult females enter the water to oviposit, carrying a plastronlike layer of air as a source of oxygen (1)

Remarks

The general pattern of dark "eyespots" on the HW with radiating white and color rays on the FW has been hypothesizd as being mimicry of Salticid jumping spiders.

See Also

Neargyractis and Eoparargyractis species are similar; see the Argyractini page for an overview of the five genera in this tribe.

Print References

Heppner, J. B., 1976. Synopsis of the genus Parargyractis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae: Nymphulinae) in Florida. Florida Entom. 59(1):5-19.(2) ["Parargyractis" is now Petrophila.]

Lange, W. H., Jr., 1956. A generic revision of the aquatic moths of North America (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae, Nymphulinae). Wasmann J. Biol. 14:59-144.(3)

Munroe, E., 1972. In: Dominick, R. B., et al., The Moths of North America North of Mexico, Fasc. 13.1A, Pyraloidea, Pyralidae (Part). Classey Limited, London.(4)

Sexton, C. W., 2021. Identification and Distribution of the Petrophila fulicalis species group (Crambidae): Taking Advantage of Citizen Science Data. J. Lep. Soc. 75(2):113-127.(5)

Solis, M. Alma, 2019. Aquatic and semiaquatic Lepidoptera, pp.765-789 In: Introduction to Aquatic Insects of North America, R. W. Merritt, K.W. Cummins, and M.B. Berg (Eds.). 5th ed., Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, Dubuque, Iowa..(6)

Internet References

MPG

Works Cited

1.	Moths of Western North America Powell and Opler. 2009. UC Press.

2.	Synopsis of the genus Parargyracytis (Lepidoptera: Pyralydae: Nymphulinae) in Florida John B. Heppner. 1976. The Florida Entomologist, volume 59, number 1.

3.	A generic revision of the aquatic moths of North America: (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae, Nymphulinae). W. H. Lange, Jr. 1956. Wasmann J. Biol., 14:59-144.

4.	The Moths of North America North of Mexico. Fascicle 13.1A. Scopariinae, Nymphulinae Eugene Munroe. 1972. The Wedge Entomological Research Foundation.

5.	Identification and Distribution of the Petrophila fulicalis species group (Crambidae): Taking Advantage of Citizen Science Data Sexton, C. Journal of the Lepidopterists Society 75(2):113-127.

6.	Aquatic and semiaquatic Lepidoptera, pp.765-789 In: Introduction to Aquatic Insects of North America Solis, M.A. 2019. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, Dubuque, Iowa.

Contributed by Troy Bartlett on 7 February, 2005 - 10:26pm
Additional contributions by Robin McLeod, marcie oconnor, Chuck Sexton, Randy Hardy
Last updated 20 June, 2021 - 7:55am

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 © 2003-2024 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by:

Printer Friendly Version