Diasemia reticularis
Encyclopedia
Diasemia reticularis is a species of moth
of the family Crambidae
. It is typically found in the tropics
, but may range into Europe
as far north as the North Sea
region because of its migratory nature.
The wingspan
is 18–22 mm. The adults can be encountered all over the year if considering the species' entire range, but in subtropical and temperate
regions they are rare outside the warm months.
The larvae feed mainly on Cichorieae
, such as Cichorium
(chicories), Hieracium
(hawkweeds) and Picris
(oxtongues), but also on Plantago
(plantain herbs). More unusually, they have been recorded to feed on plant refuse and dry leaves.
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
of the family Crambidae
Crambidae
The Crambidae are the grass moth family of Lepidoptera . They are quite variable in appearance, the nominal subfamily Crambinae taking up closely folded postures on grass-stems where they are inconspicuous, while other subfamilies include brightly coloured and patterned insects which rest in...
. It is typically found in the tropics
Tropics
The tropics is a region of the Earth surrounding the Equator. It is limited in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere at approximately N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere at S; these latitudes correspond to the axial tilt of the Earth...
, but may range into Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
as far north as the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
region because of its migratory nature.
The wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
is 18–22 mm. The adults can be encountered all over the year if considering the species' entire range, but in subtropical and temperate
Temperate
In geography, temperate or tepid latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. The changes in these regions between summer and winter are generally relatively moderate, rather than extreme hot or cold...
regions they are rare outside the warm months.
The larvae feed mainly on Cichorieae
Cichorieae
Cichorieae is a tribe of plants in the family Asteraceae that includes 100 genera and more than 1,600 species. They are found primarily in temperate regions of the Eastern Hemisphere....
, such as Cichorium
Cichorium
Cichorium is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. The species are commonly known as chicory or endive – there are two cultivated species, and four to six wild species....
(chicories), Hieracium
Hieracium
Hieracium known by its common name Hawkweed and long ago by its classical name hierakion which comes from the ancient Greek hierax, "a hawk"...
(hawkweeds) and Picris
Picris
Picris is a genus in the family Asteraceae .Picris species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species, such as the grass moth Diasemia reticularis. Schinia cardui feeds exclusively on P. hieracioides....
(oxtongues), but also on Plantago
Plantago
Plantago is a genus of about 200 species of small, inconspicuous plants commonly called plantains. They share this name with the very dissimilar plantain, a kind of banana. Most are herbaceous plants, though a few are subshrubs growing to 60 cm tall. The leaves are sessile, but have a narrow...
(plantain herbs). More unusually, they have been recorded to feed on plant refuse and dry leaves.