| Aglossa cuprina | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Superphylum: | Ecdysozoa |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Mandibulata |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Pyralidae |
| Tribe: | Pyralini |
| Genus: | Aglossa |
| Species: | A. cuprina |
| Binomial name | |
| Aglossa cuprina (Zeller, 1872) |
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| Synonyms | |
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The unusual scavenger[1] species Aglossa cuprina, formerly misidentified as Aglossa pinguinalis[2][3], is most commonly known as the Grease Moth. It belongs to lepidopteran family, Pyralidae (the snout moths).[4] The grease moth is closely related to the genus Pyralis[5], and as a result, is usually associated with the meal moth, Pyralis farinalis. Being a member of the order Lepidoptera, A. cuprina is characterized by a holometabolous life cycle and two pairs of overlapping, membranous, scaled-covered wings. It also possesses siphoning mouthparts and filiform antennae.
For the past 150 years, Aglossa cuprina has been best known for ingesting the grease produced by the bacteria that feeds on decaying matter, an activity that earned it the common name of grease moth.[6]
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A. cuprina was named by the German entomologist Philipp Christoph Zeller in 1872.[7] The specific epithet of A. pinguinalis, its other binomial name, is derived from the Latin pinguinalis 'greasy'.[8]
At the egg stage, A. cuprina is of a rounded oval shape, and gives off a white color. During the larval stage, A. cuprina has a brownish head and greyish body. The A. cuprina larvae also have black mandibles and a black peritreme. They can be distinguished from the A. cuprealis larvae via setal differences. The pupae are reddish-brown with six curved, hooked setae.
The moth has a wingspan that averages about an inch and a half, and exhibits an overall dark, greyish-brown color. While the forewings are brownish-grey with pale yellowish markings (much like those of a tabby cat, hence the lesser-used common name), the top of the head and neck are simply pale yellowish. A. cuprina is also known for its filiform antennae.[9]
A. cuprina has been found in places worldwide including Europe, Asia, Australia, North America, and South America.[10] A. cuprina is distributed throughout eastern North America and sightings of A. cuprina have been recorded in California, Arkansas, Arizona, Connecticut, District of Colombia, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, and Wisconsin.[11] The moth stage is generally found in early summer between the months of May and August.
They tend to inhabit areas around or in human habitation and buildings. When found in homes, they are generally found in the kitchen and more specifically in the pantry where their choice food source is stored. They are also commonly found in areas where dried grain products are stored, for example, warehouses and areas of grain elevators that remain undisturbed.
Aglossa cuprina has similar feeding habits to those of the Grains Moths. The larval stages feed primarily on dried grain based products including corn meal, whole wheat flour, graham flour, granola, and dried oats.[12] The adults feed on butter, suet, and grease, and have even been found in excrement.[13] They have been known to feed on dried remains of other insects as well. The adults fly at dusk between June and July. They hide in dark corners during the day and can be found in stables, outhouses, barns, warehouses, and cellars.[14] They are also attracted to light and sugar.[15]
A. cuprina is often involved in stored product entomology. Stored product entomologists often advise producers on ways to reduce the chances of insect infestation and thus remain under food defect action levels. A. cuprina is a common aspect of stored product entomology due to its caterpillars’ feeding habits. Grease moth larvae infest dried grain products and as it feeds it produces a silken substance that intertwines with the surrounding product. With substantial infestations, the larvae will spread throughout the product and with them spread their silk rendering the product unsellable. Most infestations occur in products that are stored for long periods of time in storage facilities.
In addition to stored product entomology, recently evidence suggests that A. cuprina may soon play a role in Medicocriminal entomology. A. cuprina was recently found feeding on the greasy remains of a deceased individual.[16] The use of A. cuprina as an insect of significant forensic importance is still being researched.
Research on the species' life cycle has yet to be completed, but it has been shown to have a similar life cycle to that of Aglossa caprealis. A. caprealis lays an average of 60-300 eggs during a single reproductive cycle. The eggs are commonly laid on overhanging supports. The time it takes for the eggs to hatch is temperature dependent and take between 2–14 days to hatch.
Once the eggs have hatched, the larvae will remain in the larval stage for approximately 2–41 weeks before pupating. The larval stage prefers to live in dark secluded environments, and creates flexible tubular galleries where they spend the majority of their larval stage. The galleries are supported by silken fibers produced by the larvae.
Prior to pupation, the larvae leave their galleries and disperse to a suitable location. They entangle themselves with a loose, tough silken cover that they interweave with nearby material. The nearby materials provide structure to the silken covering and camouflage the moth while it undergoes metamorphosis. The duration spent in each stage of development is temperature dependent. The life cycle of A. cuprina has been recorded to range from approximately 12 months to over 2 years depending on weather and temperature conditions. The imago, adult insect, stage emerges in early summer and inhabits the northeastern and southeastern portions of the United States.[17]