Diaphania hyalinata

Diaphania hyalinata
Adult
Larva
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Crambidae
Genus:	Diaphania
Species:	D. hyalinata
Binomial name
Diaphania hyalinata (Linnaeus, 1767)[1]
Synonyms
Phalaena Geometra hyalina Phakellura hyalinatalis Guenée, 1854 Phalaena Pyralis marginalis Stoll in Cramer & Stoll, 1781 Pyralis lucernalis Hübner, 1796 Pyralis zapillitalis Weyenbergh, 1873 Pyralis sapillitalis Weyenbergh, 1873 Glyphodes niveocilia Hampson, 1898

Diaphania hyalinata, the melonworm moth, is a moth of the Crambidae family. It is found in eastern North America,^[2] south to Central and South America and the Caribbean.^[3]

Damage

Pupa of Diaphania hyalinata on a squash leaf

The wingspan is 27–30 mm. The wings are pearly white centrally, and slightly iridescent, but are edged with a broad band of dark brown. Adults are on wing from October to November in the northern part of the range and all year round in multiple generations in Florida and further south.

The larvae feed on various plants in the cucumber family, including cucumber, melon and squash. They construct a loose silken structure under the leaves of their host plant.

References

1. "mothphotographersgroup". Mothphotographersgroup.msstate.edu. Retrieved 2011-10-13.
2. "Bug Guide". Bug Guide. Retrieved 2011-10-13.
3. "Factsheet at Florida Featured Creatures". Entomology.ifas.ufl.edu. Retrieved 2011-10-13.