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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Carpenter and Clearwing Moths (Cossoidea) » Carpenter and Leopard Moths (Cossidae)

Family Cossidae - Carpenter and Leopard Moths

Classification · Other Common Names · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Size · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · Print References · Works Cited

Cossidae: Prionoxystus robiniae - Prionoxystus robiniae

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 Cossoidea (Carpenter and Clearwing Moths)

Family Cossidae (Carpenter and Leopard Moths)

Other Common Names

Goat Moths(1)

Explanation of Names

from CossusFabricius, Pliny's name for a larva found under tree bark(2)

Numbers

45 spp. in 11 genera in our area, 670 spp. total(1)

Size

Wingspan 20-70 mm(1)

Food

Larvae bore wood(3)

Life Cycle

Larvae life spans can range from 1-4 years because of the low nitrogen, high carbon diets.(4)

Remarks

Family COSSIDAE

Subfamily Cossinae

5 genera in North America: Acossus, Comadia, Fania, Miacora, Prionoxystus

Subfamily Cossulinae

1 genus in North America: Cossula

Subfamily Hypoptinae

3 genera in North America: Givira, Hypopta, Inguromorpha

Subfamily Zeuzerinae

5 genera in North America: Aramos, Hamilcara, Morpheis, Psychonoctua, Zeuzera

Print References

Schoorl J.W. (1990) A phylogenetic study on Cossidae (Lepidoptera: Ditrysia) based on external adult morphology. Zool. Verh. 263: 1-295 (Full text)

Works Cited

1.	American Insects: A Handbook of the Insects of America North of Mexico Ross H. Arnett. 2000. CRC Press.

2.	An accentuated list of the British Lepidoptera, with hints on the derivation of the names. Anonymous. 1858. The Entomological Societies of Oxford and Cambridge.

3.	A Field Guide to Insects Richard E. White, Donald J. Borror, Roger Tory Peterson. 1998. Houghton Mifflin Co.

4.	Hidden Company that Trees Keep: Life from Treetops to Root Tips James B. Nardi. 2023. Princeton University Press.

Contributed by Troy Bartlett on 3 May, 2004 - 2:39pm
Additional contributions by cotinis, john and jane balaban, Steve Nanz, Beatriz Moisset, Robin McLeod, Ted Kropiewnicki, v belov, Randy Hardy, Marci Hess, Kyhl Austin, Blocky
Last updated 24 September, 2023 - 10:28am

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