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

Species Diacme adipaloides - Darker Diacme Moth - Hodges#5143

Crambid Snout Moth - Diacme adipaloides Darker Diacme Moth - Diacme adipaloides Diacme adipaloides Diacme elealis - Paler Diacme Moth - Diacme adipaloides Moth - Diacme adipaloides Diacme adipaloides - female Diacme adipaloides Darker Diacme - Diacme adipaloides
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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 Spilomelinae
Tribe Nomophilini
Genus Diacme
Species adipaloides (Darker Diacme Moth - Hodges#5143)
Hodges Number
5143
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Diacme adipaloides (Grote & Robinson, 1867)
Botys adipaloides Grote & Robinson, 1867
Size
18mm WS (1)
Identification
Resembles Paler Diacme, but darker FW is grayish brown with irregular pale orange bands. HW is paler yellow with wide brown border. (1)
According to Brian Scholtens and others, the presence of a basal line on the hindwing is diagnostic for the Darker Diacme. reference Despite the common name, some forms of the "Darker Diacme" can be just as pale as the "Paler Diacme", but the presence or absence of the basal line is distinctive.

Image showing hindwing basal line/loop:

Identification based on this marking seems to be supported by DNA evidence at BOLD. The BIN group for elealis, AAE7559, shows no examples with the basal line/loop. All examples show a pale yellow basal area with no dark markings. The BIN for adipaloides, AAB2577 shows no examples with this mark absent.
The BOLD sample size for elealis is small and these two species may be part of a complex with undescribed species. Brian Scholtens expressed in an email from 12/5/2017 that the taxonomy in this group may not be settled.
Range
Widespread in the eastern United States.
Food
The host plants are unknown (1)
Remarks
"I do call some things D. elealis in SC, but these have a different wing shape, and never have any hint of a basal line on the HW. I call everything with a basal line D. adipaloides." Brian Scholtens - reference here
See Also
Paler Diacme Moth - Hodges #5142
Print References
Grote, A.R., C.T. Robinson, 1867. Descriptions of American Lepidoptera, No 1. Transactions of the American Entomological Society. 1: 26. Plate 2, fg. 19.