Orange-shouldered Sherbet Moth
Common NameOrange-shouldered Sherbet Moth
Scientific NamePilocrocis ramentalis
FamilyCrambidae
SubfamilySpilomelinae
Wingspan (mm)21
Primary Colorswhite, orange, brown
HabitatOpen woodlands, fields, gardens, disturbed areas
Geographic RangeSoutheastern United States, extending west to Texas and north to parts of the Midwest; also Neotropics
Host PlantsAmaranthus spp. (pigweeds), Chenopodium spp. (goosefoot)
Flight PeriodMay to October (in temperate regions), year-round (in tropical regions)
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesLarvae are typically leaf-rollers or feed openly on the leaves of Amaranthaceae host plants, undergoing pupation in a cocoon.
Identification TipsLook for the striking contrast between the pure white wings and the prominent orange-brown costal margin of the forewings, along with the similarly colored head and thorax.
Description
A small, delicate moth characterized by its pure white wings, which are distinctly bordered by an orange-brown costal margin on the forewings, with the head and thorax sharing this orange-brown coloration.
