This Casebearer moth has a total length of about 3/8 inch (10 mm). The forewings are narrow, elongated and metallic black and gold. The antennae are thickened at the base.
The Casebearer Moth was photographed in Fontenelle Forest at Camp Brewster in early June 2016. Moths in this genus occur across the US as far south as North Carolina and Oklahoma. The main flight period is May through July.
The larvae eat seeds of plants in the pea family (Fabaceae) and rush family (Juncaceae). The larva’s case is a floret or seed capsule of the host plant which is enlarged as the larva grows.
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