Eastern Grass -Veneer Moth – Crambus laqueatellus

Eastern Grass -Veneer Moth head detail

This is an other-worldly-looking creature, isn’t it? Have you ever seen anything like this? Neither had I. Moth is in goblin mode.

The grass-veneer moth ranges from Ontario and Maine to South Carolina, west to Texas, north to North Dakota. They fly April to September. Larvae feed on grass and moss.

Eastern Grass-veneer Moth, Crambus laqueatellus, Hodges #5378

Live adult moths photographed at DuPage County, Illinois. Size: 12mm. Wingspan: 25mm.

Not much to say about these common snout moths except they are very adept at hiding, under leaves or twigs. They can be very unobtrusive and their camouflage is actually quite effective.

Identification: Adult: forewing light brownish-yellow with white streak along costa completely bisected by thin brown longitudinal strip; dark streaks extend inward from lower half of outer margin [lacks a separately-dotted terminal line]; upper half of ST line is an oblique convex arc, and lower half is a concave arc – the two halves forming a curved point where they meet, resembling the crest of a wave; hindwing medium gray with white fringe and some white shading near base and along inner margin.

Snowy Urola Moth – Urola nivalis (another crambid moth)

References

1. Bugguide.net, Species Crambus laqueatellus – Eastern Grass-veneer – Hodges#5378
2. Bob Paterson, Moth Photographer’s Group, Bugguide.net

Order Lepidoptera: Moths. Unlike the butterflies, moths are usually nocturnal. Many moths and their caterpillars are major agricultural pests in large parts of the world. Moths in the family Tineidae are commonly regarded as pests because their larvae eat fabrics, clothes and blankets made from natural fibers such as wool or silk. Moths in the genus Farinalis feed on stored grain, flour, corn meal and other milled grain products.
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