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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Pyralid and Crambid Snout Moths (Pyraloidea) » Crambid Snout Moths (Crambidae) » Spilomelinae » Diaphania » Melonworm Moth - Hodges#5204 (Diaphania hyalinata)

Species Diaphania hyalinata - Melonworm Moth - Hodges#5204

Classification · Hodges Number · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Numbers · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · See Also · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited
Diaphania hyalinata Diaphania hyalinata Unknown Lepidopteran (Sesioidea?) - Dorsal View - Diaphania hyalinata Transparent Moth - Diaphania hyalinata Melonworm Moth - Diaphania hyalinata Diaphania hyalinata Clear winged Moth - Diaphania hyalinata Melonworm Moth - Diaphania hyalinata
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 Spilomelinae
Genus Diaphania
Species hyalinata (Melonworm Moth - Hodges#5204)
Hodges Number
5204
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Diaphania hyalinata (Linnaeus, 1767)
Phylogenetic sequence #155525.
Numbers
9 spp. of Diaphania n. of Mex.
Size
Wingspan: 27-30 mm.
Identification
Pearly white wings are somewhat iridescent with broad dark brown band along outer margin and costa. The tip of the abdomen has brushy "hair-pencils."
Range
e US to s CA / W. Indies - MAP - (MPG),(1)
Habitat
Fields, cultivated land.
Season
mostly Sept-Oct, but yr round in FL (MPG)
Food
Larvae feed on cucumber family plants: cucumber, melon, squash. (1)
Life Cycle
Many generations (3?) in south, disperses northward in fall, does not persist there.
Remarks
Females* (or males?) extend pheromone-laden "hair-pencils" from the tip of their abdomen. These structures serve as both aphrodisiacs and tranquilizers to females as well as repellents to conspecific males. - Wiki

*Note. Some sources imply that males extrude hair-pencils, and others females. Clarification is needed.
See Also
Diaphania indica has abdomen mostly white like D. hyalinata but black border of forewing is broader.
Diaphania elegans has mostly brown abdominal with first segment white and black border of forewing is broader.
Diaphania modialis is like D. elegans but lacks the all white first abdominal segment.
Diaphania infimalis is like D. modialis but smaller with black border of forewing is narrower. Per Capps in Kimball (1965) (2), specimens of Diaphania modialis have been misidentified as this species which is not found in NA.
Print References
Powell, J. A., and P. A. Opler 2009. Moths of Western North America. pl. 23.39m; p. 179.(3)
Covell, C. V. 1984. Peterson Field Guides: Eastern Moths. p. 401, plate 56 #18 (4)
Internet References
Moth Photographers Group - MPG
Featured Creatures - University of Florida
"hair-pencils" - Wiki
Butterflies & Moths of North America - BAMONA
Forestry Images
Works Cited
1.Peterson Field Guide to Moths of Northeastern North America
David Beadle and Seabrooke Leckie. 2012. Houghton Mifflin.
2.The Lepidoptera of Florida: An Annotated Checklist.
Charles P. Kimball. 1965. Florida Dept. of Ag. Gainesville, FL. v + 363 pp.
3.Moths of Western North America
Powell and Opler. 2009. UC Press.
4.Peterson Field Guides: Eastern Moths
Charles V. Covell. 1984. Houghton Mifflin Company.
Contributed by Cotinis on 14 October, 2004 - 7:28am
Additional contributions by john and jane balaban, Steve Nanz, Beatriz Moisset, Mike Quinn, Maury Heiman, Robert Lord Zimlich
Last updated 9 October, 2018 - 8:28pm

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