Page 15 - The Black Range Naturalist Vol. 4, No. 3

28 mm or 1.1 inches
ca. 1 mm
The moths were present where bedrock forced the water to the surface of the canyon bottom. Just a tickle of water running over the marble but lots of thick grass on the stream edges. The Litocala were not present at other locations.
The moths would flit about, rarely flying more than 20’ before landing and crawling into the grass. Sometimes they would land on a rock or on the mud. Not always easy to see. Did I mention they were small?
This species is the only one of the genus which is found in North America, primarily in the western part of the United States but into northern Baja California.
The authoritative website bugguide.net, notes that the adults fly from March until June. The species is diurnal and often nectars at flowers (including willow catkins, per Pacific Northwest Moths). It is often seen sipping water from mud. The larvae feed on oak.
The beauty of this creature would be missed if it did not periodically become the focus of our attention.
Not all moths are small, however. The wing span of moths can be as small as 2-3 mm or as wide as 150 mm.
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