common grass-veneer

not listed

NNR - Unranked

SNR - Unranked

not listed

Common grass-veneer is a small moth but a large grass veneer. It occurs in the United States and southern Canada east of the Great Plains and on the West Coast, with just a few records from the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains states and provinces. It is common in Minnesota but usually occurs in small numbers. Adults are found from May to September in grassy woodlands, old fields, and weedy waste places. Larvae feed on grasses and cereal grains.

Adults are narrow-bodied. They are ⅝″ (16 mm) in length and have a wingspan of 11⁄16″ to 1″ (18 to 25 mm).

The forewings are shiny brown to brownish-orange. There is a long, broad, uninterrupted, white or silvery streak along most of the length of the wing. The streak is widest beyond the middle and tapers to both ends. It is narrow in front, equal to or narrower than the space between the stripe and the leading edge (costal margin) of the wing. It terminates in the subterminal area, well before the outer margin. It is often bordered with a thin dark line, at least beyond the middle. There is often a tiny spur at the widest point that projects rearward toward the inner wing margin. There is a single inconspicuous line (subterminal or ST line) near the wing tip and a thin but dark and conspicuous line at the margin (terminal line). There are five short, black dashes, one on each vein, between the terminal line and the ST line. These are sometimes continued beyond the ST line as dark or whitish lines extending to the white stripe. Below the tip of the white stripe there is a white, broadly triangular patch on the costal margin, followed by a dark patch, and a small white patch above that. The ST line runs through the white costal patch. The fringes are white tinged with yellowish-orange.

The hind wings are white or cream-colored and have white fringes.

The antennae on the female are long, thread-like, and banded equally brown and white. On the male they are darker, slightly ringed, and plainly flattened. The finger-like sensory organs (palps) attached to the mouth are long and densely hairy. They are projected forward, appearing like a fuzzy snout.

The caterpillar is dull brown with a greenish tinge. The head is pale yellow.

Total length: ⅝″ (16 mm)

Wingspan: 11⁄16″ to 1″ (18 to 25 mm)

Grassy woodlands, old fields, and weedy waste places

One or two generation per year: May to September

Adults rest with their wings held tight to the body, forming a tubular shape. They are active at night and will come to lights.

Grasses and cereal grains

Sources

21, 24, 29, 30, 72, 75, 82, 83.

Common in Minnesota

Location: Woodbury, MN