Monopis crocicapitella, the pale-backed clothes moth, is a moth of the family Tineidae described by James Brackenridge Clemens in 1859.[1] It has a nearly cosmopolitan distribution. It was first described from the eastern United States. It is particularly destructive of fabric and clothes.
Monopis crocicapitella | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Tineidae |
Genus: | Monopis |
Species: | M. crocicapitella
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Binomial name | |
Monopis crocicapitella (Clemens, 1859)
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Synonyms | |
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The wingspan is 10–16 mm. It is similar to Monopis obviella, but less distinctly-marked, with a darker dorsal streak and more speckled forewing. The ground colour of the hindwing is whitish grey or pale grey not dark with a slight purple tinge as in M. obviella. [2]
In western Europe, adults are on wing from June to October.The larvae feed on dried animal and vegetable refuse. They have been found in debris, in a dead rat, pigeon guano, bird's nests, and stored products of vegetable origin such as flour, corn and felt. They also feed on textiles, as the species' common name implies, and are particularly destructive.[3]A study undertaken on eleven English Heritage properties over several years before the winter of 2017-2018, showed that the number of moths captured in traps increased significantly during the study period.[3]
References
edit- ^ "Monopis crocicapitella (Pale-backed Clothes Moth) - Norfolk Micro Moths - The micro moths of Norfolk". Norfolk Moths. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
- ^ Reinhard Gaedike, 2019 Tineidae II : Myrmecozelinae, Perissomasticinae, Tineinae, Hieroxestinae, Teichobiinae and Stathmopolitinae Microlepidoptera of Europe, vol. 9. Leiden : Brill
- ^ a b Maev Kennedy (22 April 2018). "How to avoid clothes moths: live in the east Midlands". The Observer. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
- Petersen, G., 1957: Die Genitalien der paläarktischen Tineiden (Lepidoptera: Tineidae). Beiträge zur Entomologie 7 (1/2): 55-176.
External links
edit- UKMoths
- Lepidoptera of Belgium
- Zimmerman, Elwood C. (1978). Insects of Hawaii. Vol. 9 Microlepidoptera. The University Press of Hawaii, Honolulu. hdl:10125/7338.
- "Taxonomy Browser: Monopis crocicapitella". Barcode of Life Data System. Retrieved July 21, 2018.
- Lepiforum.de