Lepidoptera89 species

Family Cosmet Moths (Cosmopterigidae)

Cosmopterigidae is a family in the order Lepidoptera. Browse 89 named species recorded in this family, or open an individual profile for its available identification and natural-history information.

Species in Cosmopterigidae (89)

Florida Pink Scavenger

Anatrachyntis badia

The Florida pink scavenger (Anatrachyntis badia) is a species of moth of the Cosmopterigidae family. It is found in the southern United States from Florida to California and as far north as Maryland. It is an introduced species in Europe, where it ha

Pink Scavenger Caterpillar Moth

Anatrachyntis rileyi

Anatrachyntis rileyi, the pink cornworm, pink bud moth or pink scavenger, is a species of moth of the family Cosmopterigidae, the cosmet moths. It was first described by Lord Walsingham in 1882 from the southern United States, but it is probably an i

Cosmopterix abnormalis - Hodges#1498.11

Cosmopterix abnormalis

Cosmopterix abnormalis Walsingham, 1897 is now recognized within the North American fauna; specimens collected from Fort Lauderdale, FL in 2013 by James Hayden.

Cosmopterix astrapias - Hodges#1473

Cosmopterix astrapias

Identification: Koster states "the short oblique white line above the dorsal line near the base of the forewing is characteristic."

Cosmopterix bacata - Hodges#1491

Cosmopterix bacata

Identification: Dark brown with an intense orange transverse fascia. The apical seven segments of the antenna are white preceded by brown segments. The dorsal surface of the head has three white lines, and the dorsal surface of the thorax has a media

Cosmopterix clemensella - Hodges#1493

Cosmopterix clemensella

Identification: See description and figures here . Genitalia:

Cosmopterix gemmiferella - Hodges#1490

Cosmopterix gemmiferella

Identification: See description and figures here . According to Frey & Boll the larvae mine on Zizania miliacea (Michx.) Doell & Aschers (Poaceae) in April and July. Further data of this host plant have not been found .

Cosmopterix inopis - Hodges#1488

Cosmopterix inopis

Identification: See description and figures here . Koster (2010) stated "Although the outer dorsal spot on the forewing is generally larger in C. inopis , it cannot be distinguished with certainty by the external characters from C. interfracta, C. le

Cosmopterix molybdina - Hodges#1471

Cosmopterix molybdina

Identification: C. molybdina may be recognized by the shining lead-colored pro- and mesothorax above, by the fused and shining lead-colored basal lines on the forewing, and by the distal part of the antenna having the color combination of four white

Cosmopterix montisella - Hodges#1476

Cosmopterix montisella

Identification: See description and figures here . "The orange-brown transverse fascia can be completely dark bronze brown, like the rest of the forewing. This form was formerly described as C. unicolorella Walsingham, 1889."

Cosmopterix nitens - Hodges#1469

Cosmopterix nitens

Identification: "Head: frons shining ochreous-white, vertex, neck tufts and collar shining pale bronze brown with greenish gloss; labial palpus, first segment very short, white, second segment three-quarters of the length of third, grey with white lo

Cosmopterix opulenta - Hodges#1483

Cosmopterix opulenta

Identification: Labial Palps : first segment very short, white, second segment four-fifths of the length of third, shining dark brown with white longitudinal lines laterally and ventrally, third segment white, lined dark brown laterally. Antennae : d

Beautiful Cosmopterix Moth

Cosmopterix pulchrimella

Cosmopterix pulchrimella, the beautiful cosmopterix moth, is a moth of the family Cosmopterigidae. It is known from the United States (from Massachusetts and southern Wyoming south to southern Florida and southern Arizona, Michigan, New Mexico) and C

Kermes Scale Moth

Euclemensia bassettella

Euclemensia bassettella, the kermes scale moth, is a moth in the family Cosmopterigidae. It was described by James Brackenridge Clemens in 1864. It is found in North America in New Hampshire, southern Ontario, Illinois and from Florida to eastern Tex

Ithome aquila - Hodges#1642

Ithome aquila

Identification: Best separated from other Ithome spp. through dissection.

Labdia semicoccinea

Labdia semicoccinea is a moth of the Cosmopterigidae family. It is found in Japan, Taiwan, Java, India, China and the Caucasus. It is an introduced species in parts of Europe.

Limnaecia camptosema

Limnaecia camptosema is a moth of the family Cosmopterigidae. It is known from Australia, where it has been recorded from Victoria.

Limnaecia phragmitella

Wingspan 22 mm. A pale buff or brownish species with a couple of darker 'eye' patterns on each wing. The adults fly in July from dusk into the night. The larvae feed inside the seedheads of Bulrush ( Typha sp.) throughout the winter. They can often b

Macrobathra bigerella

Macrobathra bigerella is a moth in the family Cosmopterigidae. It was described by Francis Walker in 1864. It is found in Australia, where it has been recorded from New South Wales.

Macrobathra chrysotoxa

Macrobathra chrysotoxa is a species of moth of the family Cosmopterigidae. It is found in Australia.

Melanocinclis gnoma - Hodges#1506

Melanocinclis gnoma

Identification: See Hodges . Pattern of antennae separate this species from other in the genus.

Lined Melanocinclis Moth

Melanocinclis lineigera

Melanocinclis lineigera is a moth in the Cosmopterigidae family. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from New Jersey to Florida, Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas.

Obithome punctiferella - Hodges#1645

Obithome punctiferella

Identification: Det. Ed Knudson, 2009 Type Locality: Victoria, Texas.

Pancalia leuwenhoekella

Wingspan 10 to 12mm. This moth is very difficult to differentiate from its close relative Pancalia schwarzella , with forewing differences relating to the angulation of the lines and antennae colour and size. In leuwenhoekella , the antennae in both

Gray Perimede Moth

Perimede erransella

Perimede erransella is a moth in the Cosmopterigidae family. It was described by Vactor Tousey Chambers in 1874. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from Nova Scotia and southern Quebec to Florida, Kentucky and Louisiana.

Pyroderces albistrigella - Hodges#1514

Pyroderces albistrigella

Pyroderces albistrigella - Hodges#1514 (Pyroderces albistrigella) is a species in the family Cosmopterigidae, commonly known as cosmet moths, belonging to the order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths). It is classified within the subfamily Cosmopteri

Pyroderces argyrogrammos

Pyroderces argyrogrammos is a moth in the family Cosmopterigidae. It is found from central Europe south to the Mediterranean area, the Canary Islands, North Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and China. It has recently also been recorded on the Ch

Siskiwitia alticolans - Hodges#1587

Siskiwitia alticolans

Identification: " Alticolans is unique among the Chrysopeleiinae in having the dark brown forewing overlaid with shining yellow to gold scales and in having a transverse white band at 2/3 the length."

Sorhagenia lophyrella

Wingspan about10 mm. The three British species of Sorhagenia cannot be distinguished on external characters alone, and genitalia dissection is required to be certain of identification. The adults have noticeable scale-tufts on the forewing. Areas whe

Coffeeberry Midrib Gall Moth

Sorhagenia nimbosus

Sorhagenia nimbosus, the midrib gall moth, is a moth in the family Cosmopterigidae. It was described by Annette Frances Braun in 1915. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from British Columbia, Washington and California.

Stilbosis ostryaeella - Hodges#1596

Stilbosis ostryaeella

Identification: Most reliably identified by rearing and/or dissection, as the adult is similar in appearance to several other sympatric spp. in the genus.

Triclonella bicoloripennis - Hodges#1528

Triclonella bicoloripennis

Triclonella bicoloripennis is a moth in the Cosmopterigidae family. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas.

Orange-banded Triclonella

Triclonella determinatella

Triclonella determinatella is a moth in the Cosmopterigidae family. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas.

Triclonella pergandeella - Hodges#1524

Triclonella pergandeella

Identification: Busck (1901) description, in full grown larvae the head is yellow with a black spot on top and one over each eye; body is black with sparse, short white hairs and various yellow spots and smaller dots, anterior black; earlier instars

Walshia amorphella - Hodges#1616

Walshia amorphella

Identification: Genitalia: ♀ ♂ The caterpillar develops in an oval stem gall in lead plant ( Amorpha ), 1.5 inches long and 0.5 inch in diameter.

Sweet Clover Root Borer Moth

Walshia miscecolorella

Walshia miscecolorella, the sweetclover root borer moth, is a moth in the Cosmopterigidae family. It was described by Chambers in 1875. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from southern Canada south to Florida and Texas.