Brown House-moth
Hofmannophila pseudospretella
This record describes Hofmannophila pseudospretella (species). Recorded family: Oecophoridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 15-26 mm. The general appearance is fairly constant but the species does show a large size variation. A common inhabitant inside houses and is often found on indoor walls as it begins to go dark. It can be found on the wing at any time of the year but is more common in the summer. The larvae feed on detritus and other material that accumulates indoors behind skirting boards and other similar places. This species is common throughout the British Isles. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
Wikipedia reference for Hofmannophila pseudospretella: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hofmannophila pseudospretella.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Gelechioidea
- Family
- Oecophoridae (Concealer Moths)
- Subfamily
- Oecophorinae
- Tribe
- Oecophorini
- Genus
- Hofmannophila
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
A common inhabitant inside houses and is often found on indoor walls as it begins to go dark.
Seasonal Activity
It can be found on the wing at any time of the year but is more common in the summer.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larvae feed on detritus and other material that accumulates indoors behind skirting boards and other similar places.
Additional species information
Recorded status
This species is common throughout the British Isles. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Hofmannophila pseudospretella. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Brown House-moth (10)
Frequently Asked Questions About Brown House-moth
What is Brown House-moth?
Brown House-moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella) is a species in the family Oecophoridae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Brown House-moth found?
Habitat: A common inhabitant inside houses and is often found on indoor walls as it begins to go dark.
When is Brown House-moth active?
Brown House-moth: seasonal activity - It can be found on the wing at any time of the year but is more common in the summer..
What is the life cycle of a Brown House-moth?
The larvae feed on detritus and other material that accumulates indoors behind skirting boards and other similar places.