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Species Elophila tinealis - Black Duckweed Moth - Hodges#4754

Synclita tinealis - Elophila tinealis - female

Elophila tinealis - Hodges#4754 - Elophila tinealis

Moth - feathery brown blue spots - Elophila tinealis

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 Nymphulini

Genus Elophila

Species tinealis (Black Duckweed Moth - Hodges#4754)

Hodges Number

4754

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Elophila tinealis (Munroe, 1972)

Synclita tinealis Munroe, 1972(1)

Size

wingspan about 10 mm

Identification

forewing and hindwing dark brown or blackish with silvery-white patch in medial area, and sparse white dots; abdomen dark with white ring around each segment, and stout triangular or cone-shaped terminal segment

Range

Michigan, Ontario, and New York, south to Florida, west to Texas

Habitat

larvae develop in standing water in swamps and wet woods where food plant grows; adults are nocturnal and attracted to light

Season

adults fly from July to September

Food

larvae feed on duckweed (Lemna spp.)

See Also

Waterlily Leafcutter Moth (Elophila obliteralis) is larger and has patterned wings with brown and white markings

forewing of Langessa nomophilalis is more slender, and hindwing is pale with black and white markings at anal angle (see pinned images)

Print References

Kinser, P.D., Neunzig, H.H., 1981. Description of the immature stages and biology of Synclita tinealis Lepidoptera Pyralidae Nymphulanae. Journal of The Lepidopterists' Society, 35(2): 137

Internet References

MPG

Works Cited

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

Contributed by Robin McLeod on 17 January, 2006 - 10:02am
Additional contributions by Steve Nanz, Nick Block, Blocky
Last updated 29 July, 2022 - 8:03am

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