About Ostrinia penitalis Grote, 1876
Ostrinia penitalis, commonly known as the American lotus borer, is a species of moth belonging to the family Crambidae. It was first described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1876. This moth is distributed from Mexico, through Central America, to Amazonas, Brazil. It is also present in North America, where it has been recorded across most of the United States, ranging from Quebec to British Columbia. Its natural habitat includes marshes and the edges of ponds. The wingspan of Ostrinia penitalis is approximately 21 millimeters. In the northern portion of the species' range, adult moths have been observed in flight from May through September. The larvae of this species feed on plants of Nelumbo lutea and species in the Polygonum genus. Larvae have brownish heads.
