Palm moths

Palm moths
Chrysoesthia drurella
Systematics
Class : Insects (Insecta) Order : Butterflies (Lepidoptera) Subordination : Glossata Superfamily : Gelechioidea Family : Palm moths
Scientific name
Gelechiidae
Stainton , 1854

The palm moths (Gelechiidae) (Latin palpare = to stroke) are a family of butterflies (Lepidoptera). They occur worldwide with about 4600 kinds . Around 1500 species are native to the Palearctic , and 630 species are found in the Nearctic . From Europe have been described more than 800 species and subspecies, of which in Central Europe 335 species occur. The butterflies are closely related to the magnificent butterflies (Cosmopterigidae), with which they are sisterly.

features

The moths reach a wingspan of eight to 20 millimeters and have an elongated and narrow body. The forewings are narrow and 2.5 to 5.5 times longer than wide. They are usually colored metallic or have metallic patterns. However, some species have no such coloring. The hind wings are mostly narrow and have long fringes. The filiform antennae reach about 80 percent of the forewing length. In addition to compound eyes , most species also have point eyes ( Ocelli ). Your maxillary palps are well or poorly developed depending on the species. The scaly at the base of proboscis is fully developed.

The front wings have ten to twelve wing veins (mostly twelve) with an anal vein (1b). The hind wings have nine to ten veins (usually ten) with one to three anal veins (1b or 1a and 1b or 1a, 1b and 1c).

Way of life

Larvae of the red cotton bollworm ( Pectinophora gossypiella ) in an open cotton fruit

The caterpillars have a very different way of life depending on the species. Most live on leaves that they roll up, flowers, young sprouts, seeds and fruits. Some of them are miners in needles and leaves, a few species live underground. There are also those that cause galls on leaves and branches . The food spectrum of the palm moth includes over 80 plant families and also includes moss and ferns .

Among the palm moths there are some species that appear as pests , including the tomato leaf miner ( Tuta absoluta Meyrick , 1917 ) or the red cotton bollworm ( Pectinophora gossypiella Saunders , 1844 ).

Systematics

The systematics presented in the following up to the genus level is based on the following sources and does not take the tribe level into account because of the unstable systematics within the family: Fauna Europaea; Huemer & Karsholt, 1999; SangMi Lee, 2009.

Types (selection)

• Anacampsis timidella
• Dichomeris ustalella

swell

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Gelechiidae. SangMi Lee, accessed August 13, 2011 . 
2. ↑ ^{a b} Gelechiidae at Fauna Europaea. Retrieved August 13, 2011
3. ↑ Gelechiidae. Lepiforum eV, accessed on August 13, 2011 . 
4. ↑ P. Huemer, O. Karsholt: Gelechiidae I. (Gelechiinae: Teleiodini, Gelechiini). In: P. Huemer, O. Karsholt, L. Lyneborg (eds.): Microlepidoptera of Europe . 1st edition. tape 3 . Apollo Books, Stenstrup 1999, ISBN 87-88757-25-0 (English).
5. ↑ Gelechiidae Genera of the World. SangMi Lee, accessed August 13, 2011 . 

Web links

Commons : Palm Moths (Gelechiidae)  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• British Insects: the Families of Lepidoptera (English)
• Gelechiidae in Australian Faunal Directory (English)