Litter Moths
What are they?
This group gets its name from the larvae which often can be found feeding amongst leaf litter on the forest floor. They form a discreet subfamily within the family Erebidae.
Identification
These moths are mostly dull shades of brown with darker lines and some can be a little difficult to identify, especially the tetanolitas. Their appearance is rather deceptive as many species could easily be mistaken for members of the Geometridae. The precise position of fine lines and darker spots can be important for identification.
08322 American Idia Idia americalis
Length: 10-15mm. Flight Time: May-November. Larval Food: Lichens.
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08323 Common Idia Idia aemula
Length: 10-15mm. Flight Time: May-November. Larval Food: Leaf litter on the ground.
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08326 Rotund Idia Idia rotundalis
Length: Flight Time: Larval Food:
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08334 Glossy-black Idia Idia lubricalis
Length: 18-20mm. Flight Time: June-September. Larval Food: Lichens, fungi and decaying plant material.
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08340 Lettered Fan-foot Zanclognatha lituralis
Length: 12-15mm. Flight Time: May-August. Larval Food: Dead leaves.
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08347 Dark Fan-foot Zanclognatha obscuripennis
Length: 11-16mm. Flight Time: May-July. Larval Food: Leaf litter on the ground.
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08351 Early Fan-foot Zanclognatha cruralis
Length: 15-17mm. Flight Time: May-June. Larval Food: Leaf litter on the ground.
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08352 Yellowish Fan-foot Zanclognatha marcidilinea
Length: 13-15mm. Flight Time: July-September. Larval Food: Leaf litter on the ground.
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08355 Stone-winged Owlet Chytolita morbidalis
Length: 16-19mm. Flight Time: May-August. Larval Food: Leaf litter on the ground.
Two similar 'species' were formerly recognized - Chytolita morbidalis (Morbid Owlet) and Chytolita petrealis (Stone-winged Owlet). These two are now combined under C. morbidalis, but the name Stone-winged Owlet is here preferred to the peculiar Morbid Owlet, a name which has no relevance to the moth.
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08364 Black-banded Phalaenostola Phalaenostola larentioides
Length: 19-12mm. Flight Time: May-September. Larval Food: Leaf litter, occasionally living plant material.
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08366 Smoky Tetanolita Tetanolita mynesalis Length: 10-13mm. Flight Time: May-November. Larval Food: Leaf litter on the ground.
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08368 Florida Tetanolita Tetanolita floridana
Length: 10-12mm. Flight Time: May-October. Larval Food: Leaf litter on the ground.
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08370 Bent-winged Owlet Bleptina caradrinalis
Length: 12-17mm. Flight Time: May-September. Larval Food: Dead leaves on the ground.
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08380 Chocolate Renia Renia nemoralis
Length: 13-15mm. Flight Time: July-August. Larval Food:
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08381 Discolored Renia Renia discoloralis
Length: 19-24mm. Flight Time: May-September. Larval Food: Dead leaves on the forest floor
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08384.1 Yellow-spotted Renia Renia flavipunctalis
Length: 16-17mm. Flight Time: June-August. Larval Food: Dead leaves on the forest floor.
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08386 Speckled Renia Renia adspergillus
Length: 13-15mm. Flight Time: July-August. Larval Food:
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08393 Ambiguous Litter Moth Lascoria ambigualis
Length: 11-13mm. Flight Time: March-November. Larval Food: Members of the aster family (Asteraceae) and cabbage family (Brassicaceae).
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08397 Dark-spotted Palthis Palthis angulalis
Length: 10-13mm. Flight Time: March-November. Larval Food: A wide range of woody trees and shrubs.
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08398 Faint-spotted Palthis Palthis asopialis
Length: 10-12mm. Flight Time: May-November. Larval Food: A wide range of both woody and herbaceous plants.
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08404 Spotted Grass Moth Rivula propinqualis
Length: 8-10mm. Flight Time: April-September. Larval Food: Grasses.
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