Thyrocopa apatela, the grasshopper moth University of California, Berkeley or Haleakala flightless moth, Thyrocopa apatela, Haleakala flightless moth, (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae) is a species of brachypterous (flightless) moth from the Hawaiian island of Maui. A new species of flightless, jumping, alpine moth of the genus Thyrocopa from Hawaii
Description Males and females are both short-winged, and their appearance resembles dried leaves. Similarly, they travel by using the wind and have the ability to hop up to ten times their body length. Both the larvae and adults feed on the endemic shrub Dubautia menziesii.
Habitat The species gained its common name as it resides on the summit of Haleakala in the Aeolian zone. These moths shelter amongst debris blown by the breeze.It is here as well that they lay eggs and the hatched larvae dwell.
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