The Stained-glass Moth, Samea ecclesialis Guenée

Samea ecclesialis Guenée (Lepidoptera: Crambidae: Spilomelinae) is a common moth that is widely distributed in Florida, the southern United States, and the New World tropics. It is often seen flying on lawns and weedy areas, and it is one of the most frequently attracted moths to Multi-Lure® (McPhail-type) traps deployed in Florida for tephritid fruit fly detection (Fig. 1). Despite the moth’s abundance, it has no reported economic importance. However, it is related to Samea multiplicalis (Guenée) and Niphograpta albiguttalis (Warren), wellstudied herbivores of aquatic weeds (Center et al. 1982; Knopf and Habeck 1976), and to Nomophila Hübner, the celery webworms, which are pests of herbaceous plants and young vegetables (Flint 1922).