Diasemia reticularis
Diasemia reticularis is a species of moth of the family Crambidae. It is typically found in the tropics, but may range into Europe as far north as the North Sea region because of its migratory nature.
| Diasemia reticularis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Adult in Commanster, Belgian Ardennes, in June | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Crambidae |
| Genus: | Diasemia |
| Species: | D. reticularis |
| Binomial name | |
| Diasemia reticularis (Linnaeus, 1761) | |
| Synonyms | |
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The wingspan is 18–22 mm. The adults can be encountered all year if considering the species' entire range, but in subtropical and temperate regions they are rare outside the warm months.
The larvae feed mainly on Cichorieae, such as Cichorium (chicories), Hieracium (hawkweeds) and Picris (oxtongues), but also on Plantago (plantain herbs). More unusually, they have been recorded[1] to feed on plant refuse and dry leaves.
As a result of its distinctive coloration and wing pattern the moth is occasionally referred to in France as chocolat marbré, or marbled chocolate moth.
Footnotes
- Grabe (1942)
References
- Grabe, Albert (1942): "Eigenartige Geschmacksrichtungen bei Kleinschmetterlingsraupen". ["Strange tastes among micromoth caterpillars"]. Zeitschrift des Wiener Entomologen-Vereins 27: 105-109. (in German)
