swift

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Swift (Hepialus cupulinus)

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swift

insect

Also known as: Hepialidae, ghost moth

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Article History

Also called:: Ghost Moth

Related Topics:: Hepialoidea

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swift, (family Hepialidae), any of approximately 500 species of insects in the order Lepidoptera that are some of the largest moths, with wingspans of more than 22.5 cm (9 inches). Most European and North American species are brown or gray with silver spots on the wings, whereas the African, New Zealand, and Australian species are brightly coloured.

Swifts are fast, though sometimes erratic, fliers. The larvae either bore in the roots of herbaceous plants or live in turf feeding on grass roots (e.g., genus Porina).

This article was most recently revised and updated by Kara Rogers.