Esperia sulphurella

Esperia sulphurella
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Oecophoridae
Genus: Esperia
Species:
E. sulphurella
Binomial name
Esperia sulphurella
(Fabricius, 1775)
Synonyms

Esperia aucta (Krausse, 1915)
Esperia orbonella (Hübner, [1813])
Tinea orbonella Hübner, [1813]
Tinea sulphurella Fabricius, 1775

Esperia sulphurella, also known as the sulphur tubic, is a species of gelechioid moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is native to Europe, but has been introduced in California.[1]

Illustration from John Curtis's British Entomology Volume 6

Adults have a body length of 6–8 millimetres (0.24–0.31 in), and its wingspan is 12–16 millimetres (0.47–0.63 in). The wingspan is between 12 and 16 millimeters. They have a dark brown ground colour. The forewing has a pale yellow marking. The predominantly pale yellow hind wings are dark brown at the tips. At about two-thirds of the length of the antennae, the antennae have a white band.

They are on wing in spring.[1]

The larvae are black and feed on dead wood.[1]

Taxonomy

E. sulphurella was first described scientifically by J.C. Fabricius in 1775. Subsequently, the same scientific name was used for several other moths, creating a number of junior homonyms that are all invalid. These include:

References

  1. ^ a b c Will, Kip; Gross, Joyce; Rubinoff, Daniel; Powell, Jerry A. (2020). Field Guide to California Insects. Oakland, California: University of California Press. pp. 353–354. ISBN 9780520288744.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Esperia sulphurella.


Stub icon

This article on a moth of the family Oecophoridae is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.