Omiodes demaratalis
Encyclopedia
The Hawaiian grass leafroller (Omiodes demaratalis) is a species of moth
in the Crambidae
family. It is endemic to the Niihau
, Kauai
, Oahu
, Molokai
, Maui
and Hawaii
.
The larvae feed on various grasses, such as Panicum
species (including Panicum purpurascens and Panicum torridum), Sporobolus virginicus
, Digitaria pruriens and Paspalum conjugatum. They roll the leaves of their host plant. Full-grown larvae are 22-25 mm long and grass-green.
The pupa is 12 mm long and very dark brown. The pupal period lasts about 12 days.
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...
in the 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...
family. It is endemic to the Niihau
Niihau
Niihau or Niihau is the seventh largest of the inhabited Hawaiian Islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii, having an area of . Niihau lies southwest of Kauai across the Kaulakahi Channel. Several intermittent playa lakes provide wetland habitats for the Hawaiian Coot, the Black-winged Stilt, and the...
, Kauai
Kauai
Kauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...
, Oahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
, Molokai
Molokai
Molokai or Molokai is an island in the Hawaiian archipelago. It is 38 by 10 miles in size with a land area of , making it the fifth largest of the main Hawaiian Islands and the 27th largest island in the United States. It lies east of Oahu across the 25-mile wide Kaiwi Channel and north of...
, Maui
Maui
The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and is the largest of Maui County's four islands, bigger than Lānai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai. In 2010, Maui had a population of 144,444,...
and Hawaii
Hawaii (island)
The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean...
.
The larvae feed on various grasses, such as Panicum
Panicum
Panicum is a large genus of about 450 species of grasses native throughout the tropical regions of the world, with a few species extending into the northern temperate zone...
species (including Panicum purpurascens and Panicum torridum), Sporobolus virginicus
Sporobolus virginicus
Sporobolus virginicus, known by numerous common names including Marine Couch, Sand Couch, Coastal Rat-tail Grass, Salt Couch Grass, Saltwater Couch and Nioaka, is a coastal non-bunching tussock grass with a wide distribution.-Description:It is a perennial tussock grass from 10 to 50 centimetres in...
, Digitaria pruriens and Paspalum conjugatum. They roll the leaves of their host plant. Full-grown larvae are 22-25 mm long and grass-green.
The pupa is 12 mm long and very dark brown. The pupal period lasts about 12 days.