Family Hepialidae (Ghost Moths)

Description of Hepialidae

The Hepialidae are members of the Superfamily Hepialoidea. There are more than 600 named species found worldwide, with high diversity in Australia and Africa, and about 20 species in America north of Mexico. Adults are large to very large moths (wingspan 2-25 cm) and include some of the largest Lepidoptera in the world. Adults are short-lived, and species found in North America are typically yellowish, brownish, or grayish. Females carry enormous numbers of eggs. Males form groups that fly together in swarms at dusk as a courtship ritual. Caterpillars are elongate and cylindrical, and live in tunnels in the soil or bore into stems of living trees and shrubs. The complete life cycle takes 1-2 years.

Subfamily:

Cameraria conglomeratella (Zeller, 1875)

Gazoryctra hyperboreus Möschler 1862

Gazoryctra mathewi Matthew's Ghost Moth (Edwards, 1874)

Gazoryctra novigannus Barnes and Benjamin 1925

Gazoryctra pulcher (Grote, [1865])

Gazoryctra roseicaput

Gazoryctra sciophanes (Ferguson, 1979)

Korscheltellus gracilis Conifer Swift Moth (Grote, 1865)

Korscheltellus lupulina Common Swift Moth (Linnaeus, 1758)

Phymatopus hectoides

Sthenopis argenteomaculatus Silver-spotted Ghost Moth (Harris, 1842)

Sthenopis auratus Gold-spotted Ghost Moth (Grote, 1878)

Sthenopis purpurascens Four-spotted Ghost Moth (Packard, 1863)

Sthenopis thule Willow Ghost Moth (Strecker, 1875)

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Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Description of Hepialidae

Subfamily:

New April 2025 Earth Day Special Release Shirts!

Please donate!

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Description of Hepialidae

Photographs of Hepialidae

Gazoryctra novigannus

Four-spotted Ghost Moth
Sthenopis purpurascens

Four-spotted Ghost Moth
Sthenopis purpurascens

Willow Ghost Moth
Sthenopis thule

Conifer Swift Moth
Korscheltellus gracilis

Gazoryctra hyperboreus

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Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Family Hepialidae (Ghost Moths)

Description of Hepialidae

Subfamily:

Please donate!

Advertise with us!

Description of Hepialidae

Photographs of Hepialidae

Four-spotted Ghost MothSthenopis purpurascens

Four-spotted Ghost MothSthenopis purpurascens

Willow Ghost MothSthenopis thule

Conifer Swift MothKorscheltellus gracilis

Four-spotted Ghost Moth
Sthenopis purpurascens

Four-spotted Ghost Moth
Sthenopis purpurascens

Willow Ghost Moth
Sthenopis thule

Conifer Swift Moth
Korscheltellus gracilis