Hepialidae
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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 Triodia sylvina
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Abantiades |
The Hepialidae are a family of moths with about 500 species recorded worldwide. Most species display strong sexual dimorphism with the males generally being smaller but more boldly marked than the females. Moths of this family are often referred to as swifts or ghost moths.
The family is considered to be primitive with a number of structural differences to other moths including very short antennae and lack of a proboscis or frenulum.
The larvae feed in a variety of ways: some feed on the foliage, some feed underground on the roots and some feed internally in the stem or trunk of their food plants. They more resemble the maggots of Diptera than other moth or butterfly larvae. The female does not lay its eggs in a specific location but scatters the eggs while in flight (broadcasting), sometimes in huge numbers (over 10,000 from a single female in some species).
[edit] Species
The following species are found in Europe:
- Gazoryctra fuscoargentea - Northern Scandinavia
- G. ganna - Alps, northern Scandinavia, northern Russia
- Hepialus humuli Ghost Moth - Europe
- Korscheltellus lupulina Common Swift - Europe
- Pharmacis aemiliana - Italy
- P. anselminae - Italy
- P. bertrandi - France
- P. carna - Central and eastern Europe
- P. castillana - Spain
- P. claudiae - Italy
- P. fusconebulosa Map-winged Swift - Europe
- P. pyrenaica - Pyrenees
- Phymatopus hecta Gold Swift - Central and northern Europe
- Triodia adriaticus - Croatia, Macedonia, Greece, Crete
- T. amasinus - Balkans
- T. sylvina Orange Swift - Europe
[edit] References
Chinery, Michael Collins Guide to the Insects of Britain and Western Europe 1986 (Reprinted 1991)
Skinner, Bernard Colour Identification Guide to Moths of the British Isles 1984
