Species Elophila nebulosalis - Nebulous Munroessa - Hodges#4750

4750

NEBULOSALIS: from the Latin "nebulosus" (cloudy) or "nebula" (a cloud); probably refers to the diffuse dark patch on the forewing, and is the origin of the suggested common name Nebulous Munroessa

wingspan about 15 mm, based on photo by Jim Vargo at MPG

Adult: forewing orangish-yellow with diffuse dark gray patch that forms a semicircle along the costa; area inside semicircle filled with ground color and a small white patch that touches costa anteriorly; subterminal line wavy, white with black borders, crossing entire wing; hindwing with similar ground color and three irregular black-bordered white lines

South Carolina to Florida

larvae are presumably aquatic, like other species of Munroessa; adults may be flushed from vegetation during the day but are nocturnal and attracted to light

Munroessa faulalis forewing is light yellow with several white patches, has a partial subterminal line near apex, and two diffuse gray areas that almost converge at inner margin

Pondside Pyralid (M. icciusalis) forewing is pale yellow, and Waterlily Borer (M. gyralis) forewing is brown; both species have white patches in different areas (compare images of similar species at MPG)

Moth Photographers Group (MPG)

Barcode of Life (BOLD)

pinned adult image (John Snyder, Furman U., South Carolina)

distribution (Dalton State College, Georgia)