PYRALIDAE in Australia
Webworms, Meal, Flour, & Frass Moths
PYRALOIDEA

PYRALIDAE caterpillar pictures

Don Herbison-Evans ( donherbisonevans@yahoo.com ) & Stella Crossley (updated 26 June 2010)

PYRALIDAE moth pictures

The PYRALIDAE originally included a number of subfamilies which have since been placed in the family CRAMBIDAE. They were first separated out as a distinct group by Munroe in 1972 based on the presence or absence of an organ called the praecinctorium, which when present is a bilobed flimsy structure lying on the mid-line between medially fused tympanic bullae. When absent, the tympanic bullae are quite clearly separated. The former are the Crambiformes, the latter the Pyraliformes. Later, the separate groups were elevated to family status, particularly by Hennig.

The family PYRALIDAE now includes the subfamilies:

The Caterpillars of PYRALIDAE are very varied in their habits. They are basically a group of concealed feeders, but they also include parasites and aquatic forms. Some notable members of the PYRALIDAE species in Australia are:

Achroia grisella : Lesser Wax Moth

Doloessa ochrociliella
Doloessa viridis

Ectomyelois ceratoniae : Carob Moth

Endosimilis stilbealis

Endotricha hemicausta
Endotricha ignealis

Endotricha melanchroa
Endotricha mesenterialis

Endotricha puncticostalis
Endotricha pyrosalis

Etiella walsinghamella
Etiella zinckenella : Lima Bean Pod Borer

Faveria laiasalis
Faveria tritalis

Galleria mellonella : Greater Wax Moth

Gauna aegusalis

Heteromicta nigricostella
Heteromicta pachytera

Mimaglossa habitalis
Mimaglossa nauplialis

Morosaphycita oculiferella

Orthaga rubridiscalis
Orthaga seminivea
Orthaga thyrisalis : Teatree Web Moth

Paralipsa gularis : Stored Nut Moth

Persicoptera chionozyga
Persicoptera compsopa

Salma cletolis
Salma ebenina
Salma marmorea
Salma nephelodes
Salma pyrastis

Scenedra decoratalis

Spectrotrota fimbrialis

Tirathaba psolopasta
Tirathaba rufivena : Greater Coconut Spike Moth