Micromoths| Birders on the Road

Moths of the Lower Rio Grande Valley

Less Common, but Regular Moths - Micromoths

Ailanthus Webworm (Atteva aurea)

Unmistakable: orange with bands of white spots encircled by black. Often seen at flowers during the daytime. Recorded October - February, with one record in August.

A green map of texas with a black outline on a white background.

A white moth is sitting on a brick wall.

Chalky Inga (Inga cretacea)

This chunky little scavenger moth shows a distinct pattern of small dots in the median area, plus a curved ST line made up of dots. Some individuals are more peppery (left), and some are darker in the distal area (right). Recorded March - May, and August - November.

A drawing of the state of texas with a green border.

A small moth is sitting on a sandy surface.

A small moth is laying on a sandy surface

A small moth is sitting on a white surface.

Acorn Moth (Blastobasis glandulella)

A member of the confusing Scavenger Moth group, well-marked individuals will have a jagged black AM line, a dotted PM line, and small black dots bordering the terminal edge of the forked forewings. Small white blastobasids with minimal spotting or banding are quite common in the LRGV, and even the experts are hesitant to pin them to species! Recorded February to November.

A black and white moth is sitting on a white surface

Marion's Chionodes (Chionodes mariona)

This small black twirler moth is easily identified by its white head and patches in the ST and PM areas. Recorded year-round, but more likely August - November.

A small brown moth is sitting on a white surface.

Plain Spotted Hypatima (Hypatima sp. 1)

There are probably countless numbers of Hypatima moths just waiting to be discovered, and of the three species found in Texas (one described and the other two, including this one, undescribed), the conventional wisdom is that they cannot be reliably identified except by dissection and/or DNA analysis! But the three do have tentative field marks that allow a "best guess" at least; known specimens of the Plain Spotted are just that: very plain brown with small black spots, some connected by subtle white streaks. All hypatimas (including those that can't be pinned down to one of the three known types) have been recorded year-round.

Zesty Hypatima (Hypatima zesticopa - ID very tentative!)

Currently, this is the only Hypatima that has been positively identified north of Mexico, and is basically very dark with some rust mottling especially along the costa and around the end of the forewing. The one proven specimen has no white spots, but some specimens at BOLD seem to show some white spotting; some good pointers by Ann Hendrickson are on this species' page at BugGuide here. All hypatimas (including those that can't be pinned down to one of the three known types) have been recorded year-round.

Piger Grass Tubeworm (Acrolophus piger)

This grayish grass tubeworm can be told by the darker semi-triangular patch in its mid-section. Cautionary note: Many grass tubeworms can have similar patterns and may not be identifiable to species. Recorded August - October, with records in January and April.

A small moth is sitting on a wooden surface.

Texas Grass Tubeworm (Acrolophus texanella)

Extremely variable, but always shows a diagonal PM line with darker shading distally. Recorded February - May, and June - December.

A brown moth is sitting on a white surface

Clemens' Grass Tubeworm (Acrolophus popeanella)

Variable, but always has a long golden streak in the AM and PM areas, bordered by black splotches. The "crazy crest" palps are also usually obvious! Also called Pope's Grass Tubeworm. Recorded May to June and September to November.

A moth is sitting on a concrete surface.

Heppner's Grass Tubeworm (Acrolophus heppneri)

This grass tubeworm is dull brown with at least one faintly darker splotch in the PM area. The lack of a "crest" like most of the other grass tubeworms gives it a snub-nosed shape. Recorded March to October.

A small moth is sitting on a screen door.

A close up of a worm on a piece of cardboard.

Speckled Xylesthia (Xylesthia pruniramiella)

Also know as Clemens' Bark Moth, this fungus moth varies from light to dark brown with whitish bands, but the primary field mark is the bumpy appearance caused by tufted scales along the wings. Recorded March - April, June - July, and September - December.

Dyarella/Daisy Amydria (Amydria dyarella/margoriella)

I put these two together as they are extremely difficult to tell apart - even the images above are best guesses! Amydrias in general show up quite commonly in the Valley (a third species - Brown-blotched - is reported regularly on iNaturalist), but typical Dyarellas have an inverted triangular spot on the upper margin of the forewing, and typical Daisys have more blocky spots in the middle of the forewing. You're apt to find bugs with any number of these combinations! Recorded August to May.

Dyarella Amydria

Daisy Amydria