Laetilia coccidivora

Laetilia coccidivora
	Imago
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Pyralidae
Genus:	Laetilia
Species:	L. coccidivora
Binomial name
	Laetilia coccidivora; (Comstock, 1879)[1]
Synonyms
	Dakruma coccidivora Comstock, 1879; Laetilia cardini Dyar, 1918; Atascosa quadricolorella Dyar, 1904;

Laetilia coccidivora, the scale-feeding snout moth, is a species of snout moth in the genus Laetilia. It was described by John Henry Comstock in 1879.[2]

It is found in the southern United States, including California, Florida, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas and West Virginia.

The wingspan is 10–17 mm.[3]

The larvae are predatory on Coccidae species. They feed on the eggs and young. It uses carminic acid, acquired from its prey, as a defence against its own predators.[4]

References

Moth Photographers Group at Mississippi State University
Comstock, J. Henry (October 1879). "On a New Predaceous Lepidopterous Insect". The North American Entomologist. 1 (4): 25–29 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
Butterflies and Moths of North America
Bug Guide

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[1] Moth Photographers Group at Mississippi State University

[2] Comstock, J. Henry (October 1879). "On a New Predaceous Lepidopterous Insect". The North American Entomologist. 1 (4): 25–29 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.

[3] Butterflies and Moths of North America

[4] Bug Guide