Characteristics
- Moths of medium to large size
- Elongated and narrow forewings, shorter hindwings
- Very reduced antennae, often filiform
- Direct and powerful flight, sometimes diurnal
- Atrophied mouthparts in adults (non-feeding)
Habitat
Hepialoidea are found in:
- Grasslands, dry meadows, heathlands, open woodlands
- Temperate to subtropical regions
- Well-drained soils, sometimes sandy or rocky
Biology
- Eggs laid on the ground or near the host plant
- Endogean caterpillars (living underground), sometimes inside roots or stems
- Development cycle often long (several years)
- Pupation in a subterranean cocoon or within the galleries they dig
- Adults are short-lived, mainly active at dusk
Main family
- Hepialidae – Ancient and globally distributed family, with various genera:
- Hepialus, Phymatopus, Ghost Moth (Endoclita, Wiseana…)
Representative species
- Hepialus humuli – Ghost Moth: white wings in males, orange in females
- Phymatopus hecta – Gold Swift: small species with metallic sheen
- Aenetus virescens (New Zealand) – Trunk-boring caterpillar
- Wiseana spp. – Twilight-flying New Zealand species
Noteworthy traits
- Some species show marked sexual dimorphism
- Synchronized mating flights, sometimes in groups
- No functional proboscis → adults do not feed
- Larvae sometimes considered pests (crops, orchards)
- Worldwide distribution, with high diversity in the Southern Hemisphere
An illustration showing Hepialus humuli in flight at dusk, or a trunk- or root-boring caterpillar, will be added to this page later.