MPG (species pages only) MPG (entire website) Entire Web

Digital Guide to Moth Identification

Pyralidae 80a0519 – 5973   Melitara subumbrella (Dyar, 1925)

Photographs are the copyrighted property of each photographer listed. Contact individual photographers for permission to use for any purpose.

© Rich Schilk Large Map & Chart Report Errors About Maps

Larva and Host Plants: Host familiy: Cactaceae.  Host genera: Opuntia.  (Shropshire & Douglas 2025) Description/ Field Marks: Among the largest of the Phycitini, may be mistaken for a noctuid. Genitalia: Male as in 5972 Melitara junctolineella. Female: see Heinrich, 1939: 347; pl. 36, fig. 43 (female). Similar Species: Pinned specimens of related species. (Hint: select View by Region on the related species page.) Synonymy: subumbrella (Dyar, 1925) (Olyca) - MONA 1983: 5973; TL: Carlsbad, NM. nephelepasa of authors; (not Dyar, 1925) (Olyca) misappl.

References (Caution: DNA barcoding at BOLD provides evidence of relatedness, not proof of identification; some BOLD specimens shown may not be sequenced.)

Barcode of Life (BOLD) - Caution: Identifications often erroneous; DNA barcode provides evidence of relatedness, not proof of identification; many specimens not sequenced. Heinrich, C., 1939. The cactus-feeding Phycitinae: A contribution toward a revision of the American Pyralidoid moths of the family Phycitidae. Proceedings of the United States National Museum, 86(3053): 347. Mann, J., 1969. Cactus-Feeding Insects and Mites. Bulletin of the United States National Museum, 256 40. Neunzig, H. H., 1997. Moths of America North of Mexico, Fascicle 15.4: p. 58; pl. 3.19-20, 34. order or free PDF Shropshire, K.J. & D.W. Tallamy, 2025. Lepidoptera of North America, north of Mexico: an annotated list containing geographic ranges and host-plant records. ZooKeys, 1261: 101-113; Suppl. 1. (PDF or read online) Species Page at BugGuide.Net Species Page at E. H. Strickland Museum Species Page at iNaturalist

© Bob Martin © Edna Woodward © William Geoghegan © Rich Schilk

– © Jim Vargo

Moth Photographers Group  at the  Mississippi Entomological Museum  at the  Mississippi State University

Send suggestions, or submit photographs to Webmaster — Moth Photographers Group

Database design and scripting support provided by Mike Boone