The Little White Lichen Moth has a wingspan of about 1 inch. The forewing is white to light gray with much brown and black speckling. Black fragmented lines are boldest at costa. The reniform spot is a black crescent. The hindwing is grayish-white with a faint darker gray median line. The caterpillar is beaded, bumpy and marked with black, white, yellow and green. It is sparsely hairy.
This moth has been photographed once at Camp Logan Fontenelle in Fontenelle Forest in mid-June 2015. Adults fly from June to September.
Larvae feed on lichens. The larvae need to live in moist areas. During dry periods, the larvae congregate under bark and become inactive. They pupate under bark and overwinter in the pupal stage. This is the only species in the genus Clemensia in North America.
Disclaimer: The content of NatureSearch is provided by dedicated volunteer Naturalists of Fontenelle Forest who strive to provide the most accurate information available. Contributors of the images retain their copyrights. The point of contact for this page is: Babs Padelford.