Setomorpha rutella Zeller, 1852 Tropical Tobacco Moth (one synonym : Setomorpha corticinella Snellen, 1885) SETOMORPHINAE,   TINEIDAE,   TINEOIDEA

Don Herbison-Evans, (donherbisonevans@yahoo.com) and Stella Crossley

(Photo: courtesy of CSIRO/BIO Photography Group, Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph)

The Caterpillar of this species feeds on dried vegetable material including grain, nuts, and seeds.

(Photo: courtesy of the Photography Group, Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph)

The adult moth has forewings that are pale brown with dark brown markings, and hindwings that are plain brown. The wingspan is about 2 cms.

drawing by Pieter C. T. Snellen, listed as Setomorpha corticinella,
Lepidoptera van Celebes, Volume 28 (1885), Plate 2, figs. 12-15,
image courtesy of Biodiversity Heritage Library, digitized by Smithsonian Libraries.

The species is found across the tropics from America, through Africa and Asia to the Pacific islands, including

New South Wales.

undersides of wings, drawing by Pieter C. T. Snellen, listed as Setomorpha corticinella,
Lepidoptera van Celebes, Volume 28 (1885), Plate 2, figs. 12-15,
image courtesy of Biodiversity Heritage Library, digitized by Smithsonian Libraries.

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Further reading :

Pieter Cornelius Tobias Snellen,
Lepidoptera van Celebes,
Tijdschrift voor Entomologie,
Volume 28 (1885), pp. 24-25, No. 10, and also Plate 2, figs. 12-15.

Philipp Christoph Zeller,
Lepidoptera Microptera, quae J. A. Wahlberg in Caffrorum terra collegit,
Kongliga Svenska Vetenskapsakademiens Handlingar,
Stockholm (P. A. Norstedt & Söner), 1852, pp. 94-95.

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(written 23 March 2015)