The Hepialidae are a family of insects in the lepidopteran order. Moths of this family are often referred to as swift moths or ghost moths.
The ghost moth or ghost swift is a moth of the family Hepialidae. It is common throughout Europe, except for in the far south-east.
Aenetus is a genus of moths of the family Hepialidae. There are 24 described species found in Indonesia, New Guinea, New Caledonia, Australia and New Zealand. Most species have green or blue forewings and reddish hindwings, but some are predominantly brown or white. The larvae feed in the trunks of living trees, burrowing horizontally into the trunk, then vertically down.
The Hepialoidea are the superfamily of "ghost moths" and "swift moths".
Aoraia is a genus of moths of the family Hepialidae. There are 13 described species, all endemic to New Zealand. The type species of this genus is Porina dinodes Meyrick, 1890. This genus contains some large species with a wingspan of up to 150 mm.
Trichophassus is a monotypic moth genus of the family Hepialidae. The only described species is Trichophassus giganteus which is endemic to Brazil. The larva of this species has been recorded feeding on Adenocalymma, Eucalyptus, Ipomoea and Solanum.
Zelotypia is a monotypic moth genus of the family Hepialidae. The only described species is Z. stacyi, the bentwing ghost moth, which is only found in Queensland and New South Wales, Australia. This is a very large species with a wingspan of up to 250 mm. The larva feeds and pupates in the trunks and branches of Eucalyptus.
The gold swift is a moth belonging to the family Hepialidae. Until recently it was placed in the genus Hepialus. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. It is a widespread species of Europe, its distribution following that of its food plant, bracken.
Abantiades latipennis, known as the Pindi moth, is a species of moth in the family Hepialidae. It may also be referred to as a swift moth or a ghost moth, as this is a common name associated with Hepialidae. Endemic to Australia and identified in 1932, it is most populous in temperate rainforest where eucalypti are prevalent, as the larvae feed primarily on the roots of these trees. Females lay eggs during flight in a scattering fashion. The larvae live for over eighteen months underground, while adult moths survive for approximately one week, as they have no mouthparts with which to feed. The moths are preyed upon by a number of predators, including bats and owls. Brown in colour overall, males are paler and the identifying silver bars of the male's wings are more prominent than those of the female's, with dark margins. Male adults are generally smaller.
Endoclita excrescens is a species of moth of the family Hepialidae. It is known from Japan and the Russian Far East. Food plants for this species include Castanea, Nicotiana, Paulownia, Quercus, and Raphanus. The species is considered a pest of the tobacco plant.
Endoclita sinensis is a species of moth of the family Hepialidae. It is known from China, Korea and Taiwan. Food plants for this species include Castanea and Quercus.
Gorgopis limbopuncta is a species of moth of the family Hepialidae. It is known from South Africa.
Sthenopis pretiosus, the gold-spotted ghost moth, is a species of moth of the family Hepialidae. It was first described by Gottlieb August Wilhelm Herrich-Schäffer in 1856. It can be found in found Brazil, Venezuela and in the north-eastern United States and south-eastern Canada.
Sthenopis purpurascens, the four-spotted ghost moth, is a species of moth of the family Hepialidae. It was described by Packard in 1863. It is found in Canada and the United States, from Labrador and New York north and west to British Columbia and the Northwest Territories, south in the mountains to Arizona.
Triodia nubifer is a species of moth belonging to the family Hepialidae. It was described by Julius Lederer in 1853 and is known from Central Russia and Kazakhstan.
Wiseana cervinata, the porina moth, is a species of moth belonging to the family Hepialidae. It was described by Francis Walker in 1865 and is endemic to New Zealand.
