Glyphipterix simpliciella, Crete - photo © Fotis Samaritakis
The Family Glyphipterigidae (Sedge Moths)
The Family Glyphipterigidae
The Glyphipterigidae (Sedge Moths) is a family of small moths that are diurnal and can be found visiting flowers during the day.
The moths have a wingspan of 7-16 mm and have a slender and elongated body. The forewings are narrow to wide and are two to four times longer than wide. The hindwings are frayed, with well-developed neuration, and have a similar width to the front wings. The hindwings have.
Some species have metallic shiny wings or metallic patterns on the wings i.e. metallic crescent markings along the costa and inner margin of the forewings. The antennae are half as long, to the same length as the front wings. In addition to the compound eyes, the moths also have ocelli. Their maxillary palpi may be well developed or strongly regressed, the proboscis is fully developed and lacks scales.
Larvae bore into the stems of sedges, rushes, and grasses, and this behavior gives the group its name.
The following species are representative species of the Glyphipterigidae moths that have been photographed on the island of Crete. You can obtain more information about each species, by selecting the relative species icon. The list of Glyphipterigidae species is nondefinitive.
