HEAD-STANDING MOTH
Argyresthia austerella
SHINY HEAD-STANDING MOTHS (Argyresthiidae)
The Argyresthia Head-standing Moth has a wingspan of nearly 1/2 inch. The head and thorax are white. The forewings are white with black diagonal bands. The hindwings are gray feather-like plumes. The legs are white with black bands. These moths rest with their heads down and their bodies at an upward angle, which gives the appearance of them standing on their heads.
The frequency of occurrence in this area is not known. This moth was photographed in early June 2016 in Fontenelle Forest. The moth ranges from Nebraska to the east coast and south to Oklahoma and North Carolina. Adults fly from May to July with most records being in June.
The larvae are miners of woody plants. There are 52 species in the family north of Mexico, and all are in the genus Argyresthia.
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