Metephestia is a monotypic snout moth genus described by George Hampson in 1901. Its only species, Metephestia simplicula, was described by Philipp Christoph Zeller in 1881.[1] It is known from Colombia,[1] southern Florida,[2] Puerto Rico and the West Indies.

Metephestia
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Pyralidae
Subfamily: Phycitinae
Genus: Metephestia
Hampson in Ragonot, 1901
Species:
M. simplicula
Binomial name
Metephestia simplicula
(Zeller, 1881)
Synonyms
  • Ephestia simplicula Zeller, 1881

There are several generations per year.

The larvae feed on Indigofera species, including I. hirsuta, I. suffruticosa and I. tinctoria. Young larvae feed on unexpanded leaflets.[3]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "GlobIZ search". Global Information System on Pyraloidea. Retrieved 2011-09-29.
  2. ^ Moth Photographers Group at Mississippi State University
  3. ^ Systematics of immature phycitines (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)