Snout Moths and other “micromoths” of Columbia County, Oregon

Several groups of moths have snout-like appendages, including Hypenine Snout Moths (subfamily Hypeninae), Litter Moths (subfamily Herminiinae), Tortricid Leafroller Moths and Allies (superfamily Tortricoidea), and Pyralid and Crambid Snout Moths (superfamily Pyraloidea). We’ve also included several similarly small moth species here, such as Clothes Moths (superfamily Tineoidea), Ermine Moths (Superfamily Yponomeutoidea), Leaf Miners (superfamily Gracillarioidea), and Curved-horn Moths (superfamily Gelechioidea). A fantastic resource for more specific information on all our moths is Pacific Northwest Moths.

Other Lepidoptera groups include Tiger and Tussock Moths, Sphinx and Silk Moths, Cutworms and Dart Moths, Geometer Moths and their inchworms, Clearwing Moths, Plume Moths, Scoopwing Moths and Butterflies.

More information on the various species not covered here can be found at the Moth Photographers Group or Butterflies and Moths of North America.

Owlet Moths and allies (Noctuidae)

Hypenine Snout Moths (subfamily Hypeninae)

Related to the owlet moths, their name comes from the Greek for “beard”.

White-lined Snout moth Hypena abalienalis columbia county northwest oregon — **White-lined Snout (*Hypena abalienalis*)** – Found in moist mixed forest. (photo © Larry Clarfeld)

California Cloverworm Moth Hypena californica columbia county northwest oregon — **California Cloverworm Moth (*Hypena californica*)** – Feeds on nettles in riparian forest. (photo © Ellyne Geurts)

Mottled Snout moth Hypena palparia columbia county northwest oregon — **Mottled Snout (*Hypena palparia*)** – Found in range of forest habitats. (photo © Jim Johnson)

Beautiful Snout Hypena decorata columbia county northwest oregon — **Beautiful Snout (*Hypena decorata*)** – Feeds on nettles in riparian hardwood forest. (photo © Ken-ichi Ueda)

Hop Vine Snout moth Hypena humuli columbia county northwest oregon — **Hop Vine Snout (*Hypena humuli*)** – Generalist, eating nettles, hop vine, etc. (photo © Jim Johnson)

Dimorphic Snout Moth Hypena bijugalis columbia county northwest oregon — **Dimorphic Snout (*Hypena bijugalis*)** – Feeds on hardwoods, esp. dogwood, in moist forests. (photo © David Anderson)

White-lined Snout larva Hypena abalienalis caterpillar columbia county northwest oregon — **White-lined Snout larva (*Hypena abalienalis*)** – Feeds on hardwoods, especially dogwood. (photo © Diane P. Brooks)

Mottled Snout larva Hypena palparia caterpillar columbia county northwest oregon — **Mottled Snout larva (*Hypena palparia*)** – Feeds on oak and other hardwoods. (photo © Giff Beaton)

Litter Moths (subfamily Herminiinae)

Another member of the Owlet moth family, these feed on the detritus of the forest floor.

American Idia Moth Idia americalis columbia county northwest oregon litter moth — **American Idia Moth (*Idia americalis*)** – Feeds on dead leaves and lichen in moist forests. (photo © Eleni Kondilis)

Dark-spotted Palthis Moth Palthis angulalis columbia county northwest oregon litter moths — **Dark-spotted Palthis Moth (*Palthis angulalis*)** – Found in moist forest, eating live and dead leaves. (photo © Jim Johnson)

Bent-winged Owlet Bleptina caradrinalis columbia county northwest oregon owlet moths — **Bent-winged Owlet (*Bleptina caradrinalis*)** – Feeds on dead leaves throughout all forests. (photo © Jim Johnson)

**Morbid Owlet (*Chytolita morbidalis*)** – Here in the Northwest is found in coastal rainforest. (photo © Ben Keen)

Tufted Moths (family Nolidae)

Their caterpillars make a silk cocoon with a vertical exit slit.

Ceanothus Nola Moth Nola minna columbia county northwest oregon — **Ceanothus Nola Moth (*Nola minna*)** – A very tiny moth of moist forests. (photo © Jim Johnson)

Ceanothus Nola Moth larva Nola minna caterpillar columbia county northwest oregon — **Ceanothus Nola Moth larva (*Nola minna*)** – Appears to prefer *Ceanothus* – California lilacs. (photo © Moria L. Robinson)

Pyralid and Crambid Snout Moths (Pyraloidea)

Pyralid Moths (Pyralidae)

Also known as “Grass Moths”, these tiny moths are considered pests in many areas.

Meal Moth Pyralis farinalis columbia county northwest oregon — **Meal Moth (*Pyralis farinalis*)** – (photo © Melissa Duron)

Indian-Meal Moth Plodia interpunctella — **Indian-Meal Moth (*Plodia interpunctella*)** – (photo © Chase G. Mayers)

Dusky Raisin Moth Ephestiodes gilvescentella columbia county northwest oregon — **Dusky Raisin Moth (*Ephestiodes gilvescentella*)** – (photo © Ken-ichi Ueda)

Large Tabby moth Aglossa pinguinalis — **Large Tabby (*Aglossa pinguinalis*)** – (photo © Jim Johnson)

Indian-Meal Moth larva Plodia interpunctella — **Indian-Meal Moth larva (*Plodia interpunctella*)** – (photo © Roberto Ghiglia)

Large Tabby larva Aglossa pinguinalis moth caterpillar columbia county northwest oregon — **Large Tabby larva (*Aglossa pinguinalis*)** – (photo © Padraic Flood)

Crambid Snout Moths (Crambidae)

Another family of “Grass Moths”, several are used as biocontrol agents against Water Hyacinth and Eurasian Watermilfoil.

Celery Leaftier Moth Udea rubigalis — **Celery Leaftier Moth (*Udea rubigalis*)** – (photo © Russell Pfau)

False Celery Leaftier Udea profundalis moth columbia county northwest oregon — False Celery Leaftier (*Udea profundalis*) – (photo © Arvel Hernandez)

Double-striped Scoparia Moth Scoparia biplagialis columbia county northwest oregon — **Double-striped Scoparia Moth (*Scoparia biplagialis*)** – (photo © idlegrraphics)

Northern Webworm Herpetogramma aquilonalis — **Northern Webworm (*Herpetogramma aquilonalis*)** – (photo © Carter Dorscht)

Topiary Grass-Veneer Chrysoteuchia topiarius moth columbia county northwest oregon — **Topiary Grass-Veneer (*Chrysoteuchia topiarius*)** – (photo © Jen Sanford)

Common Grass-Veneer Agriphila tristella — **Common Grass-Veneer (*Agriphila tristella*)** – (photo © Riccardo Molajoli)

California Pyrausta Moth Pyrausta californicalis — **California Pyrausta Moth (*Pyrausta californicalis*)** – (photo © Amy Jaecker-Jones)

Inornate Pyrausta Moth Pyrausta inornatalis columbia county northwest oregon — **Inornate Pyrausta Moth (*Pyrausta inornatalis*)** – (photo © Catherine C. Galley)

Celery Leaftier Moth larva Udea rubigalis — **Celery Leaftier Moth larva (*Udea rubigalis*)** – (photo © Jocelyn)

False Celery Leaftier larva Udea profundalis moth caterpillar columbia county northwest oregon — False Celery Leaftier larva (*Udea profundalis*) – (photo © Rich Hoyer)

Topiary Grass-Veneer larva Chrysoteuchia topiarius moth caterpillar columbia county northwest oregon — **Topiary Grass-Veneer larva (*Chrysoteuchia topiarius*)** – (photo © Andrew Miller)

Inornate Pyrausta Moth larva Pyrausta inornatalis caterpillar columbia county northwest oregon — **Inornate Pyrausta Moth larva (*Pyrausta inornatalis*)** – (photo © Chuck Williamson)

Tortricid Leafroller Moths and Allies (Superfamily Tortricoidea)

These moths get their name from the manner in which host leaves are pulled together as the caterpillars feed on them. Many species are considered orchard or forestry pests.

Oblique-banded Leafroller Moth Choristoneura rosaceana — **Oblique-banded Leafroller Moth (*Choristoneura rosaceana*)** – (photo © Kyle Honer)

Orange Tortrix Moth Argyrotaenia franciscana — **Orange Tortrix Moth (*Argyrotaenia franciscana*)** – (photo © Ken-ichi Ueda)

Privet Tortrix moth Clepsis consimilana — **Privet Tortrix (*Clepsis consimilana*)**– (photo © Luigi Andena)

Greenish Apple Moth Clepsis virescana columbia county northwest oregon — **Greenish Apple Moth (*Clepsis virescana*)** – (photo © Jeremy Coleman)

Carnation Tortrix moth Cacoecimorpha pronubana — **Carnation Tortrix (*Cacoecimorpha pronubana*)** – (photo © babunco)

Codling Moth Cydia pomonella columbia county northwest oregon — **Codling Moth (*Cydia pomonella*)** – (photo © Emanuele Santarelli)

Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana columbia county northwest oregon — **Garden Rose Tortrix (*Acleris variegana*)** – (photo © Luigi Andena)

Eye-spotted Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana columbia county northwest oregon — **Eye-spotted Bud Moth (*Spilonota ocellana*)** – (photo © Stuart Tingley)

Oblique-banded Leafroller Moth larva Choristoneura rosaceana caterpillar columbia county northwest oregon — **Oblique-banded Leafroller Moth larva (*Choristoneura rosaceana*)** -(photo © molanic)

Carnation Tortrix larva Cacoecimorpha pronubana) — **Carnation Tortrix larva (*Cacoecimorpha pronubana*)** – (photo © fotis-samaritakis)

Codling Moth larva Cydia pomonella — **Codling Moth larva (*Cydia pomonella*)**– (photo © Bérénice)

Ermine Moths and allies (Superfamily Yponomeutoidea)

Small, often brightly colored moths, several of which feed by mining through leaves.

Diamondback Moth Plutella xylostella) — **Diamondback Moth (*Plutella xylostella*)** – (photo © Paolo Mazzei)

Spindle Ermine Moth Yponomeuta cagnagella columbia county northwest oregon — **Spindle Ermine Moth (*Yponomeuta cagnagella*)** – (photo © Jason Grant)

Diamondback Moth web Plutella xylostella — **Diamondback Moth web (*Plutella xylostella*)** – (photo © Irvin Louque)

Spindle Ermine Moth Yponomeuta cagnagella — **Spindle Ermine Moth larva (*Yponomeuta cagnagella*)** – (photo © bjoerns)

Spindle Ermine Moth web Yponomeuta cagnagella columbia county northwest oregon — **Spindle Ermine Moth web (*Yponomeuta cagnagella*)** – (photo © Fernando de Juana)

Clothes Moths (superfamily Tineoidea)

This unusual family of moths primarily feeds on nonliving matter, such as fungus, detritus, and feathers. Several have taken to eating clothes, hence the name. Some are also known as “bagworms”, due to the tendency of their larva to encase themselves in a bag-like covering.

Bird Nest Moth Monopis crocicapitella larva caterpillar columbia county northwest oregon — **Bird Nest Moth (*Monopis crocicapitella*)** – (photo © James Duggan)

Webbing Clothes Moth Tineola bisselliella — **Webbing Clothes Moth (*Tineola bisselliella*)** – (photo © Benoît Segerer)

Case-bearing Clothes Moth Tinea pellionella columbia county northwest oregon — **Case-bearing Clothes Moth (*Tinea pellionella*)** – (photo © Francis Birlenbach)

Case-bearing Clothes Moth larva Tinea pellionella caterpillar columbia county northwest oregon — **Case-bearing Clothes Moth larva (*Tinea pellionella*)** – (photo © Lorin Timaeus)

Leaf Miners and relatives (superfamily Gracillarioidea)

These moths are named due to the unique manner in which their larva “mine” under the surface of plant matter, rather than eating it from the outside. They are often identified by the tell-tale markings they leave on such leaves.