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40-629: Numerous, see text Hypsopygia costalis , the gold triangle or clover hay moth , is a species of moth of the family Pyralidae . It was described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1775 and is found in Europe. The wingspan is 16–23 mm. The adult moths fly from May to July, depending on the location. The supposed species H. aurotaenialis is included here pending further study. The caterpillars feed on dry vegetable matter. They have been found in haystacks or thatching , as well as in chicken ( Gallus ) and magpie ( Pica ) nests. The caterpillar

80-551: A monophyletic group, the moths, comprising the rest of the Lepidoptera, do not. Many attempts have been made to group the superfamilies of the Lepidoptera into natural groups, most of which fail because one of the two groups is not monophyletic: Microlepidoptera and Macrolepidoptera , Heterocera and Rhopalocera , Jugatae and Frenatae, Monotrysia , and Ditrysia . Although the rules for distinguishing moths from butterflies are not well established, one very good guiding principle

120-459: A protective covering for the pupa. Cocoons may be tough or soft, opaque or translucent, solid or meshlike, of various colors, or composed of multiple layers, depending on the type of insect larva producing it. Many moth caterpillars shed the larval hairs ( setae ) and incorporate them into the cocoon; if these are urticating hairs then the cocoon is also irritating to the touch. Some larvae attach small twigs, fecal pellets or pieces of vegetation to

160-422: A surface by a Velcro -like arrangement of a silken pad spun by the caterpillar , usually cemented to the underside of a perch, and the cremastral hook or hooks protruding from the rear of the chrysalis or cremaster at the tip of the pupal abdomen by which the caterpillar fixes itself to the pad of silk. ( Gr. kremastos 'suspended') Like other types of pupae, the chrysalis stage in most butterflies

200-401: Is paraphyletic with respect to butterflies (suborder Rhopalocera) and neither subordinate taxon is used in modern classifications. Moths make up the vast majority of the order. There are approximately 160,000 species of moth, many of which have yet to be described. Most species of moth are nocturnal , although there are also crepuscular and diurnal species. While the butterflies form

240-769: Is a significant food resource in southern Africa . Another saturniid used as food is the cavorting emperor ( Usta terpsichore ). In one country alone, Congo , more than 30 species of moth larvae are harvested. Some are sold not only in the local village markets, but are shipped by the ton from one country to another. Nocturnal insectivores often feed on moths; these include some bats , some species of owls and other species of birds . Moths also are eaten by some species of lizards , amphibians , cats , dogs , rodents , and some bears . Moth larvae are vulnerable to being parasitized by Ichneumonidae . Baculoviruses are parasite double-stranded DNA insect viruses that are used mostly as biological control agents. They are members of

280-536: Is considered more effective, but there are concerns over its effects on human health. Despite being commonly thought to be undertaken by all moths, only the larvae of several moth species eat animal fibres, creating holes in articles of clothing, in particular those made of wool. Most species do not eat fabrics, and some moth adults do not even eat at all. Some, like the Luna , Polyphemus , Atlas , Promethea , cecropia , and other large moths do not have mouth parts. This

320-414: Is contained in a protective silk case called a cocoon . The pupa of some species such as the hornet moth develops sharp ridges around the outside called adminicula that allow the pupa to move from its place of concealment inside a tree trunk when it is time for the adult to emerge. Pupa, chrysalis, and cocoon are frequently confused, but are quite distinct from each other. The pupa is the stage between

360-400: Is currently unknown. One hypothesis is called celestial or transverse orientation. By maintaining a constant angular relationship to a bright celestial light, such as the moon, they can fly in a straight line. Celestial objects are so far away that, even after travelling great distances, the change in angle between the moth and the light source is negligible; further, the moon will always be in

400-416: Is during the pupal stage that the adult structures of the insect are formed while the larval structures are broken down. The adult structures grow from imaginal discs . The pupal stage may last weeks, months, or even years, depending on temperature and the species of insect. For example, the pupal stage lasts eight to fifteen days in monarch butterflies . The pupa may enter dormancy or diapause until

440-406: Is injurious to clover hay, and to other hay when mixed with clover. Its depredations can be prevented by keeping the hay dry and well ventilated, as the insect preferably breeds in moist or matted material such as is to be found in the lower parts of haystacks, where affected hay becomes filled with webbings of the caterpillars and their excrement, rendering it unfit for feeding. A treatment is to burn

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480-403: Is often called metamorphosis , metamorphosis is really the whole series of changes that an insect undergoes from egg to adult. When emerging, the butterfly uses a liquid, sometimes called cocoonase , which softens the shell of the chrysalis. Additionally, it uses two sharp claws located on the thick joints at the base of the forewings to help make its way out. Having emerged from the chrysalis,

520-404: Is one in which there is little movement. However, some butterfly pupae are capable of moving the abdominal segments to produce sounds or to scare away potential predators . Within the chrysalis, growth and differentiation occur. The adult butterfly emerges (ecloses) from this and expands its wings by pumping haemolymph into the wing veins. Although this sudden and rapid change from pupa to imago

560-470: Is possible because they live off the food stores from when they were a caterpillar, and only live a short time as an adult (roughly a week for some species). Many species of adult moths do however eat: for instance, many will drink nectar . Items of fabric infested by clothes moth larvae may be treated by freezing them for several days at a temperature below −8 °C (18 °F). Some moths are farmed for their economic value. The most notable of these

600-491: Is that butterflies have thin antennae and (with the exception of the family Hedylidae ) have small balls or clubs at the end of their antennae. Moth antennae are usually feathery with no ball on the end. The divisions are named by this principle: "club-antennae" (Rhopalocera) or "varied-antennae" (Heterocera). Lepidoptera first evolved during the Carboniferous period, but only evolved their characteristic proboscis alongside

640-413: Is the silkworm , the larva of the domesticated moth Bombyx mori . It is farmed for the silk with which it builds its cocoon . As of 2002 , the silk industry produces more than 130 million kilograms of raw silk, worth about 250 million U.S. dollars , each year. Not all silk is produced by Bombyx mori . There are several species of Saturniidae that also are farmed for their silk, such as

680-408: Is the capability of making sounds or vibrations to scare potential predators. A few species use chemical defenses including toxic secretions. The pupae of social hymenopterans are protected by adult members of the hive. Based on the presence or absence of articulated mandibles that are employed in emerging from a cocoon or pupal case, the pupae can be classified in to two types: Based on whether

720-585: The Baculoviridae , a family that is restricted to insects. Most baculovirus isolates have been obtained from insects, in particular from Lepidoptera. There is evidence that ultrasound in the range emitted by bats causes flying moths to make evasive maneuvers. Ultrasonic frequencies trigger a reflex action in the noctuid moth that causes it to drop a few centimeters or inches in its flight to evade attack, and tiger moths can emit clicks to foil bats' echolocation. The fungus Ophiocordyceps sinensis infects

760-607: The 16th century was used mostly to indicate the larva , usually in reference to devouring clothes. Moth larvae, or caterpillars , make cocoons from which they emerge as fully grown moths with wings. Some moth caterpillars dig holes in the ground, where they live until they are ready to turn into adult moths. Moths evolved long before butterflies; moth fossils have been found that may be 190 million years old. Both types of Lepidoptera are thought to have co-evolved with flowering plants , mainly because most modern species, both as adults and larvae, feed on flowering plants. One of

800-491: The Ancient Greek term χρυσός ( chrysós ) for gold. When the caterpillar is fully grown, it makes a button of silk which it uses to fasten its body to a leaf or a twig. Then the caterpillar's skin comes off for the final time. Under this old skin is a hard skin called a chrysalis. Because chrysalises are often showy and are formed in the open, they are the most familiar examples of pupae. Most chrysalides are attached to

840-613: The ailanthus moth ( Samia cynthia group of species), the Chinese oak silkmoth ( Antheraea pernyi ), the Assam silkmoth ( Antheraea assamensis ), and the Japanese silk moth ( Antheraea yamamai ). The larvae of many species are used as food , particularly in Africa, where they are an important source of nutrition. The mopane worm, the caterpillar of Gonimbrasia belina , from the family Saturniidae,

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880-412: The appropriate season to emerge as an adult insect. In temperate climates pupae usually stay dormant during winter, while in the tropics pupae usually do so during the dry season . Insects emerge (eclose) from pupae by splitting the pupal case. Most butterflies emerge in the morning. In mosquitoes, the emergence is in the evening or night. In fleas, the process is triggered by vibrations that indicate

920-405: The butterfly will usually sit on the empty shell in order to expand and harden its wings. However, if the chrysalis was near the ground (such as if it fell off from its silk pad), the butterfly would find another vertical surface to rest upon and harden its wings (such as a wall or fence). Moth pupae are usually dark in color and either formed in underground cells, loose in the soil, or their pupa

960-440: The earliest known species that is thought to be an ancestor of moths is Archaeolepis mane . Its fossil fragments show scaled wings that are similar to caddisflies in their veining. Some moths, particularly their caterpillars , can be major agricultural pests in many parts of the world. Examples include corn borers and bollworms . The caterpillar of the spongy moth ( Lymantria dispar ) causes severe damage to forests in

1000-728: The families Erebidae and Sphingidae , may be the key pollinators for some flowering plants in the Himalayan ecosystem. The roles of moths as pollinators have been studied less frequently than those of diurnal pollinators, but recent studies have established that moths are important, but often overlooked, nocturnal pollinators of a wide range of plants. Some researchers say it is likely that many plants thought to be dependent on bees for pollination also rely on moths, which have historically been less observed because they pollinate mainly at night. Moths frequently appear to circle artificial lights. The reason for this behavior (positive phototaxis )

1040-515: The family Tineidae are commonly regarded as pests because their larvae eat fabric such as clothes and blankets made from natural proteinaceous fibers such as wool or silk . They are less likely to eat mixed materials containing some artificial fibers. There are some reports that they may be repelled by the scent of wood from juniper and cedar , by lavender , or by other natural oils; however, many consider this unlikely to prevent infestation. Naphthalene (the chemical used in mothballs )

1080-491: The larva and adult stages. The chrysalis generally refers to a butterfly pupa although the term may be misleading as there are some moths whose pupae resembles a chrysalis, e.g.: the plume winged moths of the family Pterophoridae and some geometrid moths. A cocoon is a silk case that the larvae of moths, and sometimes other insects, spin around the pupa. A cocoon is a casing spun of silk by many moths and caterpillars , and numerous other holometabolous insect larvae as

1120-641: The larvae of many different species of moths. Moths, like butterflies, bees and other more popularly recognized pollinating insects, serve an essential role as pollinators for many flowering plants, including species that bees do not visit. Nocturnal moths fly from flower to flower to feed on nectar during the night much as their diurnal relatives do during the day. A study conducted in the UK found moths dusted with pollen from 47 different plant species, including seven species largely ignored by bees. Some studies indicate that certain species of moths, such as those belonging to

1160-418: The light source. Studies have found that light pollution caused by increasing use of artificial lights has either led to a severe decline in moth population in some parts of the world or has severely disrupted nocturnal pollination. [REDACTED] Quotations related to Moths at Wikiquote Cocoon (silk) The pupae of different groups of insects have different names such as chrysalis for

1200-484: The most economically important of all lepidopterans. The silk moth is the only completely domesticated lepidopteran; it does not exist in the wild. Insects that pupate in a cocoon must escape from it, and they do this either by the pupa cutting its way out, or by secreting enzymes , sometimes called cocoonase , that soften the cocoon. Some cocoons are constructed with built-in lines of weakness along which they will tear easily from inside, or with exit holes that only allow

1240-487: The northeastern United States, where it is an invasive species . In temperate climates, the codling moth causes extensive damage, especially to fruit farms. In tropical and subtropical climates, the diamondback moth ( Plutella xylostella ) is perhaps the most serious pest of brassicaceous crops. Also in sub-Saharan Africa , the African sugarcane borer is a major pest of sugarcane, maize , and sorghum . Several moths in

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1280-449: The outside of their cocoon in an attempt to disguise it from predators. Others spin their cocoon in a concealed location—on the underside of a leaf , in a crevice , down near the base of a tree trunk , suspended from a twig or concealed in the leaf litter . Contrary to popular belief, larvae do not completely liquify inside the cocoon. The silk in the cocoon of the silk moth can be unraveled to harvest silk fibre which makes this moth

1320-435: The possible presence of a suitable host. Prior to emergence, the adult inside the pupal exoskeleton is termed pharate . Once the pharate adult has eclosed from the pupa, the empty pupal exoskeleton is called an exuvia ; in most hymenopterans (ants, bees and wasps) the exuvia is so thin and membranous that it becomes "crumpled" as it is shed. Measuring the timing of this emergence is of interest to chronobiologists because

1360-400: The process is regulated by circadian clocks in many species, necessitating different assays to measure eclosion timing. In a few taxa of the Lepidoptera, especially Heliconius , pupal mating is an extreme form of reproductive strategy in which the adult male mates with a female pupa about to emerge, or with the newly moulted female; this is accompanied by other actions such as capping of

1400-418: The pupae of butterflies and tumbler for those of the mosquito family. Pupae may further be enclosed in other structures such as cocoons , nests , or shells . The pupal stage follows the larval stage, or in some cases a prepupal stage, and precedes adulthood ( imago ) in insects with complete metamorphosis. The pupa is a non-feeding, usually sessile stage, or highly active as in mosquitoes. It

1440-407: The pupal appendages are free or attached to the body, the pupae can be classified as one of three types: A chrysalis ( Latin : chrysallis , from Ancient Greek : χρυσαλλίς , chrysallís , plural: chrysalides , also known as an aurelia ) or nympha is the pupal stage of butterflies . The term is derived from the metallic–gold coloration found in the pupae of many butterflies, referred to by

1480-446: The reproductive system of the female with the sphragis , denying access to other males, or by exuding an anti-aphrodisiac pheromone. Pupae are usually immobile and are largely defenseless. To overcome this, pupae often are covered with a cocoon, conceal themselves in the environment, or form underground. Some species of Lycaenid butterflies are protected in their pupal stage by ants. Another means of defense by pupae of other species

1520-507: The rise of angiosperms in the Cretaceous period. The modern English word moth comes from Old English moððe ( cf. Northumbrian mohðe ) from Common Germanic (compare Old Norse motti , Dutch mot , and German Motte all meaning 'moth'). Its origins are possibly related to the Old English maða meaning ' maggot ' or from the root of midge which until

1560-441: The upper part of the visual field, or on the horizon. When a moth encounters a much closer artificial light and uses it for navigation, the angle changes noticeably after only a short distance, in addition to being often below the horizon. The moth instinctively attempts to correct by turning toward the light, thereby causing airborne moths to come plummeting downward, and resulting in a spiral flight path that gets closer and closer to

1600-404: The webbed material and to thoroughly clean the affected location. Junior synonyms of this species are: This Hypsopygia -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Moth Moths are a group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies . They were previously classified as suborder Heterocera, but the group

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