Composittae, insect mystery

[Doug Yanega]

>I believe that the moth may be a Bella moth aka as the rattlebox moth
>(Utethesia bella). It is fairly common in the southeastern U.S. Its larvae
>feed on Crotolaria species.

While Dan pointed out that there are some Atteva-like moths around, U.
bella really isn't one of them, nor a candidate for the moths in the photo
based on the bright orange markings, rather slender bodies (compared to
Utetheisa), and  their small size. The image is clear enough to leave A.
punctella as the best, if not only, candidate. There's even a picture of it
in the Peterson's Guide to compare directly.

Peace,

Doug Yanega    Depto. de Biologia Geral, Instituto de Ciencias Biologicas,
Univ. Fed. de Minas Gerais, Cx.P. 486, 30.161-970 Belo Horizonte, MG   BRAZIL
phone: 31-499-2579, fax: 31-499-2567  (from U.S., prefix 011-55)
                  http://www.icb.ufmg.br/~dyanega/
  "There are some enterprises in which a careful disorderliness
        is the true method" - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, Chap. 82