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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Pyralid and Crambid Snout Moths (Pyraloidea) » Pyralid Moths (Pyralidae) » Phycitinae » Phycitini » Homoeosoma Series » Homoeosoma » Sunflower moth - Hodges#5935 (Homoeosoma electellum)

Species Homoeosoma electellum - Sunflower moth - Hodges#5935

Classification · Hodges Number · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Size · Identification · Range · Season · Food · Life Cycle · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

Unidentified Moth - Homoeosoma electellum

unknown micromoth #10 - Homoeosoma electellum

Homoeosoma electella – Sunflower Moth - Homoeosoma electellum

Ephestiodes gilvescentella - Homoeosoma electellum

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 Pyralidae (Pyralid Moths)

Subfamily Phycitinae

Tribe Phycitini

No Taxon (Homoeosoma Series)

Genus Homoeosoma

Species electellum (Sunflower moth - Hodges#5935)

Hodges Number

5935

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Homoeosoma electellum (Hulst)

Anerastia electella Hulst 1887

Heinrich (1956) and Heppner (2003) listed as Homoeosoma electellum (Hulst), as the gender should be neuter to match the neuter suffix -soma, per the ICZN. (1), (2)

Size

Hulst (1887) listed the wingspan 15-24 mm.

Powell & Opler (2009) reported the forewing length 7.5-12 mm. (3)

Identification

Powell & Opler (2009)(3) reported two color phases in both sexes.

Gray with a white subcostal streak.

Tan with or without the subcostal streak.

Specimen identified by DNA analysis (BOLD). (4)

Heinrich (1921) description of larva in PDF. (5)

Range

Heppner (2003) reported the range as North Carolina to Florida(6); Washington to California; West Indies; Mexico to Guatemala. (2)

Moth Photographers Group map displays records throughout the southeastern states to Nebraska and Texas; British Columbia to California. (7)

Pohl et al. (2010) reported Alberta, Canada. (8)

Powell & Opler (2009) stated the species "occurs across the continent." (3)

Season

Heppner (2003) reported January to August; October to December. (2)

Food

Heppner (2003)(2) and Powell & Opler (2009)(3) reported many host plants.

Anthemis sp.

Aster sp.

Bidens sp.

Chrysanthemum sp.

Citrus sinensis (sweet orange)

Coreopis sp.

Dahlia sp.

Echinacea sp.

Gossypium sp.

Helianthus sp. (sunflower)

Heliopsis sp.

Opuntia sp. (Cactaceae)

Rudbeckia sp.

Tagetes sp.

Verbesina sp.

Viguiera sp.

Life Cycle

Oviposits preferentially on newly-opened flowers. In the absence of pollen, calling behavior may be delayed for up to 2 weeks.(9)

Print References

Heinrich, C. 1921. Some Lepidoptera likely to be confused with the pink bollworm. Journal of Agricultural Research 20(10). p. 832.(5)

Heinrich, C. 1956. American moths of the subfamily Phycitinae. United States National Museum Bulletin 207. p. 220; figs. 481, 975. (1)

Hulst, G.D. 1887. New species of Pyralidae. Entomologica Americana. 3. p. 137.

Neunzig, H.H., 1997. The Moths of America North of Mexico, Fascicle 15.4. The Wedge Entomological Research Foundation. p. 99; plate 4, figs. 13-17. (10)

Powell, J.A. & P.A. Opler 2009. Moths of Western North America. University of California Press. plate 26, fig. 20; p. 193. (3)

Internet References

Moth Photographers Group (7)

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) (4)

Essig Museum of Entomology

Works Cited

1.	American moths of the subfamily Phycitinae Carl Heinrich. 1956. United States National Museum Bulletin 207: 1-581.

2.	Arthropods of Florida and Neighboring Land Areas: Lepidoptera of Florida J.B. Heppner. 2003. Florida Department of Agriculture 17(1): 1-670.

3.	Moths of Western North America Powell and Opler. 2009. UC Press.

4.	BOLD: The Barcode of Life Data Systems

5.	Some Lepidoptera Likely To Be Confused with the Pink Bollworm Heinrich, Carl. 1921. Journal of Agricultural Research. v. 20, no. 10, pp. 820-821.

6.	Checklist of the Lepidoptera of Florida

7.	North American Moth Photographers Group

8.	An annotated list of the Lepidoptera of Alberta, Canada Gregory R. Pohl, Gary G. Anweiler, B. Christian Schmidt, Norbert G. Kondla. 2010. ZooKeys 38: 1–549.

9.	Insect-Plant Biology L.M. Schoonhoven, T. Jermy, and J.J.A. Van Loon. 1998. Chapman and Hall.

10.	The Moths of North America north of Mexico. Fascicle 15.4. Pyraloidea, Pyralidae, Phycitinae (part) H. H. Neunzig. 1997. The Wedge Entomological Research Foundation.

Contributed by v belov on 6 March, 2012 - 4:17pm
Additional contributions by Steve Nanz, Mike Quinn, nebbeetle, Maury Heiman, JohnMaxwell22, Marci Hess
Last updated 9 September, 2023 - 9:44am

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