Sand Spikemoss Moth

Chionodes latro · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Gelechiidae

No source yet on danger. We have no source yet on whether it bites, stings or damages anything.
Sand Spikemoss Moth
Photo: iNaturalist user, CC0

The sand spikemoss moth is found in North America and has been recorded in Florida. Its larvae feed on the plant Selaginella arenicola.

Source: Wikipedia

Where it lives

It occurs in North America, with records from Florida.

Source: Wikipedia

What it eats

The caterpillars eat Selaginella arenicola.

Source: Wikipedia

Where it comes from

It is native to North America and has been observed in Florida.

Source: Wikipedia

Where it is found in the US

Recorded in 2 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Florida, Montana.

Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.

Source: GBIF

Months it is reported in the US

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Source: GBIF

More photos

Sand Spikemoss Moth photo 2
Photo: iNaturalist user, CC0
Sand Spikemoss Moth photo 3
Photo: Athena Philips, CC BY
Sand Spikemoss Moth photo 4
Photo: iNaturalist user, CC0
Sand Spikemoss Moth photo 5
Photo: iNaturalist user, CC0

Same family (Gelechiidae)

Angoumois Grain MothAngoumois Grain MothSitotroga cerealellaDamages trees, gardens or cropsBoxelder Leafworm MothBoxelder Leafworm MothChionodes obscurusellaHairy, Toothed, and Shining Dichomeris Moths and AlliesHairy, Toothed, and Shining Dichomeris Moths and AlliesDichomeris setosellaBlack-smudged Chionodes Moth and AlliesBlack-smudged Chionodes Moth and AlliesChionodes occidentellaBlack-smudged Chionodes MothBlack-smudged Chionodes MothChionodes mediofuscellaInverse and Kimball's Dichomeris MothsInverse and Kimball's Dichomeris MothsDichomeris inversella

Sources

  • Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chionodes_latro

Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia

Text written 2026-10-29 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-29.

How this page works

This is one bug's fact sheet. The colored box at the top says whether it is dangerous. Sections below cover how to recognize it, whether it is a pest, and how to deal with it. The US map shows which states have records; tap a state to see other bugs there.

Every fact on Bug FAQ comes from a named source (university extension sites, government agencies, GBIF, iNaturalist, Wikipedia). The source is linked next to each section. If we have no source for something, we leave it out.