About Phyllalia patens Boisduval, 1847
Phyllalia patens is a moth species belonging to the Eupterotidae family. It was first described by Jean Baptiste Boisduval in 1847. This species occurs in Lesotho, and in the KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga provinces of South Africa. Adult moths are fawn-colored; their abdomens and hindwings are only barely paler than their forewings. All wings of adult Phyllalia patens are very broad and relatively short. The larvae of this moth feed on two grass species: Cynodon dactylon and Ehrharta calycina. Larvae build a small, grotto-like structure on the ground beneath the leaves of their host plant. They stay hidden in this structure during the heat of the day, and emerge to feed during cool evenings. Larvae have a velvety black upper body and a pale fulvous underside, with a bright red head.
