Other Common Names
larvae called sod webworms (applies generally to subfamily Crambinae)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Crambus leachellus (Zincken, 1818)
Phylogenetic sequence #159675
Size
wingspan about 25 mm, based on photo of Jim Vargo's specimen at MPG
Identification
Adult: forewing brown with broad silvery-white stripe running from base to subterminal area, tapered at both ends (i.e. spindle-shaped); width of stripe at base is greater than distance between stripe and costa; subterminal line curves around distal end of white stripe; short dark diagonal dash at apex; subterminal area paler than median area, usually with five black dashes; terminal line black; fringe off-white
Range
Ontario and Maryland to Florida, west to California and Oregon
Habitat
lawns, meadows, waste places
Season
Univoltine
on Block Island, RI, with adults flying from late August into October. A single adult record from 6 June 2019 represents a rare spring emergence, which Hugh McGuinness has observed on Long Island as well.
(1)Food
larvae feed on grasses (Poaceae)
Life Cycle
overwinters as a partially-grown larva in the grass; feeding resumes in early spring (usually April); larvae hide in the grass or upper layer of soil during the day, and feeding occurs mainly at night; larvae often construct silken tunnels to hide in during the day; when feeding is completed, larvae pupate in the grass and emerge as adults in about 7-10 days; adults hide in the grass and shrubbery during the day; in the evening, females fly low over the grass and scatter small white eggs which hatch in about a week; one generation is completed in 4-6 weeks, with 2-4 generations per year
[adapted from text by Jay Karren, Utah State U.]
See Also
Sperry's Grass-veneer visually indistinguishable (?), but restricted to coastal CA.
Watson's Grass-veneer forewing has a wider white stripe, and its diagnostic feature is a large white spindle-shaped dash at the end of the stripe
In
C. praefectellus width of white stripe at base is less than or equal to distance between stripe and costa
In
C. laqueatellus forewing has two white stripes
In
C. unistriatellus white stripe is almost parallel-sided (not spindle-shaped) and extends to outer margin of forewing; subterminal line lacking
Internet References
pinned adult image (Larry Line, Maryland)
life history and larval control methods (Jay Karren, Utah State U.)
presence in Florida; list (John Heppner, A Checklist of the Lepidoptera of Florida)
