The Erebidae are a family of moths in the superfamily Noctuoidea. The family is among the largest families of moths by species count and contains a wide variety of well-known macromoth groups. The family includes the underwings (Catocala); litter moths (Herminiinae); tiger, lichen, footman and wasp moths (Arctiinae); tussock moths (Lymantriinae), including the arctic woolly bear moth (Gynaephora groenlandica); fruit-piercing moths (Calpinae and others); micronoctuoid moths (Micronoctuini); snout moths (Hypeninae); and zales, though many of these common names can also refer to moths outside the Erebidae (for example, crambid snout moths). Some of the erebid moths are called owlets.
The sizes of the adults range from among the largest of all moths (around 12 in (305 mm) wingspan in the white witch) to the smallest of the macromoths (0.25 in (6 mm) wingspan in some of the Micronoctuini). The coloration of the adults spans the full range of dull, drab, and camouflaged (e.g., Zale lunifera and litter moths) to vivid, contrasting, and colorful (e.g., Aganainae and tiger moths). The moths are found on all continents except Antarctica.
Subfamilies
Aganainae
Anobinae
Arctiinae – tiger, lichen, and wasp moths
Boletobiinae
Calpinae – piercing moths
Erebinae – underwings and kin
Eulepidotinae
Herminiinae – litter moths
Hypeninae – snout moths
Hypenodinae – includes the micronoctuoids
Hypocalinae
Lymantriinae – tussock moths
Pangraptinae
Rivulinae
Scolecocampinae
Scoliopteryginae – piercing moths
Tinoliinae
Toxocampinae
Description
Adult moths of Erebidae have quadrifid forewings and usually quadrifine hindwings, meaning that each wing includes a cubital vein that splits into four (explained further in the Classification section). The tribe Micronoctuini instead has bifine hindwings (meaning this same vein splits into two). Aside from this, adult Erebidae usually have an unscaled clypeofrons and broad forewings, and the hindwings often have...
