2025/01/01 by Gisella DePiazza, Rhys J. L. Campo, Jacob Bethin +3 · 1 voice
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · #Entomological Studies and Ecology #Insect Pheromone Research and Control #Lepidoptera: Biology and Taxonomy
paper · pdf · doi:10.1515/flaent-2025-0008
openalex publication_date 2025/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/11/28 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/11
Abstract Butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera) include approximately 157,500 described species, the majority of which have terrestrial larvae. However, several lepidopteran lineages have successfully evolved strategies and adaptations to live under, or near, water. It is estimated that among the currently described Lepidoptera, only about 5 % of the species are truly aquatic. Aquatic and semi-aquatic moths display a large variation in life history, which can include stem boring, case making, and free-living on plants. Despite their unique adaptations, the life histories of many aquatic and semi-aquatic lepidopterans remain largely unknown. In the present study, we have documented the life history of two crambid moth species, the waterlily leafcutter moth ( Elophila obliteralis Walker) and the salvinia stem-borer moth ( Samea multiplicalis (Guenée)) from the southern United States, specifically reporting development times and describing in detail their behavioral adaptations through high quality images. We also characterize and image their silk, an important adaptation to living in an aquatic environment.