Ghost Moths (Hepialidae) of the World

Genera and species

Biology & Evolution

Grehan's
research

In Memorium

The biology of Hepialidae (ghost moths) has been an absorbing interest for me for over three dcades.

Although circumstances have prevented me from working more on the Hepialdiae, I continue to investigate aspects of their systematics and biogeography.

e Hepialidae (ghost moths) occur in most habitable regions of the earth apart from Madagascar, the Caribbean, and central western Africa. Relative to area, ghost moths are least speciose in North America north of Mexico. Their highest diversity appears to occur in Latin America and the South West Pacific. The family is phylogenetically significant as the largest member of the Exoporia, the sister group to the Heteroneura containing over 90% of all Lepidoptera species.

This web page will be developed to provide information on the biogeographic, systematic, taxonomic, and biological characteristics for the Hepialidae. Many species remain poorly documented, if at all, particularly for their larval stages.

 Feeding biology of Hepialidae

Mating biology (not yet entered)