Sthenopis argenteomaculatus

Description

Sthenopis argenteomaculatus, the silver-spotted ghost moth, is a species of moth of the family Hepialidae. It was described by Thaddeus William Harris in 1841, and is known in North America from Nova Scotia to Virginia and west to Minnesota. The wingspan is about 65–100 mm. The forewings are gray to tan, crossed by irregular dark bands. Adults are on wing from June to August. Food plants for this species include Alnus, Betula, and Salix. They bore in roots of their host plant that are partially submerged in water. The life cycle takes two years.