HomeGuideID RequestRecentFrassForumsDonateHelp

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) » Ermine Moths and kin (Yponomeutoidea) » Sedge and False Diamondback Moths (Glyphipterigidae) » False Diamondback Moths (Acrolepiinae) » Acrolepiopsis » Carrionflower Moth - Hodges#2490 (Acrolepiopsis incertella)

Species Acrolepiopsis incertella - Carrionflower Moth - Hodges#2490

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

Carrionflower Moth - Acrolepiopsis incertella

Glyphipterigidae, False Diamondback Moth, 4 cocoons on Carrionflowers - Acrolepiopsis incertella

Glyphipterigidae, Sedge and False Diamondback Moth, lateral - Acrolepiopsis incertella - male

Glyphipterigidae, Sedge and False Diamondback Moth, Carrion Flower larva - Acrolepiopsis incertella

Glyphipterigidae, Sedge and False Diamondback Moth, dorsal - Acrolepiopsis incertella

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 Yponomeutoidea (Ermine Moths and kin)

Family Glyphipterigidae (Sedge and False Diamondback Moths)

Subfamily Acrolepiinae (False Diamondback Moths)

Genus Acrolepiopsis

Species incertella (Carrionflower Moth - Hodges#2490)

Hodges Number

2490

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Acrolepiopsis incertella (Chambers, 1872)

described in 1872 by Chambers, who originally placed it in genus Heribeia

Formerly placed in family Plutellidae.

Numbers

There are seven species of the genus Acrolepiopsis in America north of Mexico.

Size

Wingspan about 11 mm, based on photo by Jim Vargo at MPG.

Identification

Adult: forewing slender, grayish-brown with reddish iridescence and small white triangular patch part-way along inner margin; distinct notch part-way along outer margin; hindwing brownish-gray, paler than forewing, with dark veins and whitish shading toward base.

Larva: body pale green with sparse short hairs.

Range

Heppner (2003) reported the range to include New Hampshire to Florida(1), west to Texas and Illinois. (2)

Season

The main flight period appears to be February to September. (3)

Heppner (2003) reported March and May in Florida. (2)

MJ Hatfield recorded a the emergence of a specimen from Iowa 10/29/21, BugGuide Photo#2089881. "... for A. incertella, this represents new information on host plant, larval feeding mode, and phenology. It also impacts the reliability of sight identifying spring-occurring adults..." - Terry Harrison (pers. comm. 9/8/22).

Food

The larvae feed on carrionflower or greenbrier (Smilax spp.), especially Bristly Greenbrier (S. tamnoides); also reported on lily (Lilium spp.)

Life Cycle

The larval hostplant terminal leaf is rolled and tied together at the edges by a larva, which lives and feeds inside the rolled leaf in early spring. After the larva finishes feeding, it vacates its rolled-leaf shelter and spins a meshwork silken cocoon, inside which it pupates. Adults emerge in late May and overwinter. One generation per year.

See Also

The similar Acrolepiopsis heppneri is a fall species, being present as a larva in September and October, and emerging as an adult in October.

Print References

Ellis, S. E. 2004. New Pest Response Guidelines Leek Moth Acrolepiopsis assectella (Zeller). USDA. PDF

Landry, J.-F., 2007. Taxonomic review of the leek moth genus Acrolepiopsis (Lepidoptera: Acrolepiidae) in North America. The Canadian Entomologist, 139(3): 319-353.

Internet References

Moth Photographers Group (3)

Microleps.org

larval foodplant in reference to lilies (John Hilty, Illinois)

distribution; list of boundary states (Dalton State College, Georgia)

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) (4)

Works Cited

1.	Checklist of the Lepidoptera of Florida

2.	Arthropods of Florida and Neighboring Land Areas: Lepidoptera of Florida J.B. Heppner. 2003. Florida Department of Agriculture 17(1): 1-670.

3.	North American Moth Photographers Group

4.	BOLD: The Barcode of Life Data Systems

Contributed by john and jane balaban on 18 June, 2009 - 10:38pm
Additional contributions by Steve Nanz, Robin McLeod, Maury Heiman, marcie oconnor
Last updated 8 September, 2022 - 11:00am

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:

Printer Friendly Version