Scale-feeding Snout
Common NameScale-feeding Snout
Scientific NameEphestiodes erythrella
FamilyPyralidae
SubfamilyPhycitinae
Wingspan (mm)12
Primary Colorsbrown, grey, white, black
HabitatWoodlands, forests, areas with host trees
Geographic RangeNorth America (eastern and central United States, parts of Canada)
Host Plantsscale insects (on oak, maple, other trees), galls
Flight PeriodMay to September
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesThe larvae are notable for their predatory behavior, feeding on scale insects found on various trees, or sometimes developing within galls.
Identification TipsLook for its small size, the mottled brown and grey forewing pattern with a distinct pale band, and the characteristic 'snout' formed by its upturned labial palps.
Description
A small, cryptically colored moth with mottled brown and grey forewings, often featuring a pale, irregular transverse band. It possesses prominent labial palps that give it a 'snout-like' appearance.
