Cossoidea

The Cossoidea are a superfamily of moths within the order Lepidoptera. This group includes families such as the Cossidae, commonly known as carpenter moths or goat moths.12

Key characteristics of Cossoidea include:
* Adults: Typically robust moths with wingspans ranging from under 2.5 cm to as large as 25 cm. Males often have comb-like antennae. Their mouthparts are vestigial, meaning they are reduced and non-functional.32
* Larvae: These are the wood-boring stage of the moth's life cycle. They bore into the wood of living trees or pithy stems and can take one to three years to mature. Some larvae can be highly destructive to plants.12
* Destructive Potential: While some species are considered pests due to damage to ornamental and crop plants, they also play a role in their local food webs, with larvae being prey for birds like woodpeckers.2

Examples of notable species include the carpenterworm moth (Prionoxystus robiniae), the goat moth (Cossus cossus), and the leopard moth (Zeuzera pyrina).2