Pitcher Plant Mining Moth
Common NamePitcher Plant Mining Moth
Scientific NameExyra ridingsii
FamilyErebidae
SubfamilyErebinae
Wingspan (mm)25
Primary Colorsblack, cream
HabitatBogs, fens, wet pine savannas, and other wetlands where pitcher plants grow
Geographic RangeSoutheastern United States
Host PlantsSarracenia flava, Sarracenia purpurea, Sarracenia leucophylla
Flight PeriodMarch to October (multiple broods)
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesLarvae are internal miners of *Sarracenia* pitcher plants, feeding within the pitchers and pupating inside them.
Identification TipsKey features include the distinctive bicolored forewings (pale basal, dark distal) and its strong association with pitcher plants, often found resting inside or near them.
Description
A small moth characterized by its dark head and thorax, and forewings that are pale cream or yellowish on the basal half and dark brown to black on the outer half. The hindwings are uniformly dark.
