Genus Stenoptilodes

S. crenulata is a synonym of S. brevipennis

S. antirrhina and S. brevipennis were formerly placed in genus Platyptilia

several other species formerly placed in Stenoptilodes are now placed in Paraplatyptilia

3 species in North America: antirrhina, brevipennis, taprobranes, the first two of which are listed at All-Leps

Adult: regarding S. brevipennis and taprobanes, Debbie Matthews writes: "Males you really have to dissect. Females you can look for lateral scale tufts near the genital opening (ventral) to distinguish brevipennis from taprobanes."

As of April 2006, no information could be found on the Internet to distinguish this genus from other genera of plume moths.

represented throughout much of United States and southern Canada

S. antirrhina: [Snapdragon Plume Moth] California, and southeastern greenhouses that have received cuttings of snapdragon from California

S. brevipennis: much of United States and southern Canada

S. taprobanes: recently introduced from the neotropics (?) into Texas and perhaps other areas of United States (?)

adults are weak fliers and usually remain on or near the host plant; they are most active during early evening

larvae of S. antirrhina feed on snapdragon

in North America, larvae of S. taprobanes may feed on snapdragon (Antirrhinum spp.), Wild Basil (Clinopodium vulgare), blueberry (Vaccinium spp.), Spreading Sneezeweed (Centipeda minima), and spur flower (Plectranthus spp.)

The following refers to S. antirrhina:

Eggs are deposited singly any place on the plants, but are usually laid on newly forming flowers or on the underside of leaves of terminal young growth. Hatching occurs in 2 to 3 weeks. Young larvae mine in leaves and later burrow into the stem, petioles, flowers, or seed pods. It takes 3 to 5 weeks for the larvae to develop through four instars. The caterpillars emerge to form pupae that hang upside down on the plant. Overwinters as an adult.

[text by North Carolina State U.]

page creation based on Debbie Matthews' identification of this image as Stenoptilodes sp.

live adult image of S. taprobanes by Claire Currie, Texas (Moth Photographers Group)

live larva and adult images of S. taprobanes, plus foodplants in Australia (Don Herbison-Evans and Debbie Matthews, U. of Sydney, Australia)

drawing of adult S. antirrhina, plus distribution, host plant, biology (North Carolina State U.)

distribution and foodplants of S. taprobanes (Markku Savela, FUNET)

presence in Ontario of S. brevipennis (NHIC; Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources)