Epiricania melanoleuca
Epiricania melanoleuca is a moth in the family Epipyropidae. It was described by Thomas Bainbrigge Fletcher in 1939. It is found in India, where its larvae are external parasitoids of the sugarcane planthopper (Pyrilla perpusilla). It has been used in biological pest control against this pest. Description The adult E. melanoleuca is a small, dark grey, moth with short, broad wings giving it a triangular outline. The male has a whitish margin to both pairs of wings, while the female has slatey-grey forewings and dark grey hindwings. The wingspan is in females, and slightly less in males. The antennae are bipectinate (have comb-like lateral processes on both sides). The larvae are at first campodeiform, having a long flattened body, legs and antennae, but the later instars are fleshy and ellipsoidal; they are concealed by the white waxy filaments they secrete. The pupa is concealed in an oval, white, silken cocoon. Distribution Epiricania melanoleuca is native to India, occurring in the drier parts of the sugarcane-growing area. It also occurs in Pakistan and Bangladesh, and has been introduced into Sri Lanka. Ecology The larvae of E. melanoleuca are parasitoids on the sugarcane planthopper (Pyrilla perpusilla). The moth's eggs are laid on