Phormoestes is a genus of moth

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...

s in the Choreutidae

Choreutidae

Choreutidae, or "metalmark moths," are a family of insects in the lepidopteran order whose relationships have been long disputed. It was placed previously in the superfamily Yponomeutoidea in family Glyphipterigidae and in superfamily Sesioidea. It is now considered to represent its own superfamily...

 family, containing only one species, Phormoestes palmettovora, which is known from Florida

Florida

Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

.

The length of the forewings is 3.3-4 mm. Adults are on wing from March to May.

The larvae feed on Sabal palmetto

Sabal palmetto

Sabal palmetto, also known as cabbage palm, palmetto, cabbage palmetto, palmetto palm, blue palmetto, Carolina palmetto, common palmetto, swamp cabbage and sabal palm, is one of 15 species of palmetto palm . It is native to the southeastern United States, Cuba, and the Bahamas...

. Larvae have been found boring within the minute flower pods of the inflorescence of the host plant. After sufficient feeding, the larvae apparently take one of the hollowed out flower pods and form a pupal case, having a flap on the distal end, and transport this case to the ventral side of one of the large palm leaves. The pupal case is attached to the midrib of one of the many leaflets of the palm leaf. It appears that larvae or pupae overwinter in the pupal case and adults of the first generation emerge the following March, when the palms are again producing inflorescences.