No widely accepted common name
Common NameNo widely accepted common name
Scientific NameMeyrickella torquesauria
FamilyGelechiidae
SubfamilyGelechiinae
Wingspan (mm)12
Primary Colorsbrown, white, reddish-brown
HabitatWoodlands, shrublands, and areas with host plants in its South African range.
Geographic RangeSouth Africa
Host PlantsUnknown
Flight PeriodOctober to April
Lifecycle NotesLike all moths, it undergoes complete metamorphosis (egg, larva, pupa, adult). Larvae of Gelechiidae are typically concealed feeders, often boring into stems, mining leaves, or feeding within seeds or galls of their host plants.
Identification TipsKey identification features include its small size, the distinctive mottled brown and white forewing pattern with a prominent diagonal white stripe, and its somewhat bristly labial palps that project forward.
Description
This is a small moth with mottled reddish-brown and dark brown forewings, featuring prominent irregular white stripes and patches, particularly a diagonal white band. Its head and thorax are also mottled brown, and it has relatively short, somewhat bristly labial palps.
