window-winged moth

insect
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Also known as: Arniocera auriguttata, Thyrididae
Related Topics:
Pyraloidea

window-winged moth, (family Thyrididae), any of a group of tropical moths (order Lepidoptera) that are generally dark-coloured and small to medium-sized, with a wingspan of 10 to 30 mm (0.4 to 1.2 inches). The middle area of each wing usually has a characteristic translucent yellow or whitish area of exposed membrane, hence the name window. Larvae of some species are leaf rollers that live within a tunnel they form by tying the edges of a leaf together with silk. Larvae may also burrow in twigs and stems, causing gall-like swollen areas, or feed on seeds and flowers. For pupation they make a cocoon on the ground. Some authorities consider the several hundred species of Thyrididae to be closely related to ancestral butterflies.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.