University of Alberta Museums Search

A very small (13-16 mm wingspan) dark brown to dull black moth with elongate, squared-off forewings. The forewings are dark brown to dull black-brown, fading in older specimens to chocolate-brown. There is a faintly darker narrow median band, with a few white scales marking the reniform and the postmedian area. Beyond this the wing darkens slightly to a narrow, subterminal band of pale scales. The hindwings are slightly paler sooty brown, darker toward the margin. Antennae simple. Sexes similar. The very similar H. fractilinea Sm. is smaller yet (11-14 mm wingspan) lighter grey-brown with a more contrasting pattern. Hypenodes sombrus is most likely to be mistaken for a microlepidopteran.

Almost nothing is known. Adults are nocturnal and come to light. There appears to be a single annual brood. Alberta specimens have been collected in the last half of July. Apparently nothing is known about the larval host(s).