European Corn Borer Moth
Ostrinia nubilalis
This record describes Ostrinia nubilalis (species). Recorded family: Crambidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
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Terms from the source record, grouped for readability. Broad terms such as size or location are not measurements or a confirmed range.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pyraloidea
- Family
- Crambidae (Crambid Snout Moths)
- Subfamily
- Pyraustinae
- Tribe
- Pyraustini
- Genus
- Ostrinia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Areas where the food plant occurs.
Seasonal Activity
The single generation flies in June and July.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The main foodplant in Britain is Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris), although abroad it is often a pest on maize crops.
Additional species information
Recorded status
A rare migrant before the 1930's, this species then began to colonise the area around London and the south-east, and has spread to several other areas since but remains very local. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Ostrinia nubilalis. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of European Corn Borer Moth (4)
Frequently Asked Questions About European Corn Borer Moth
How big is European Corn Borer Moth?
24mm to 32mm (0.94" to 1.25")
Where is European Corn Borer Moth found?
Habitat: Areas where the food plant occurs.
When is European Corn Borer Moth active?
European Corn Borer Moth: seasonal activity - The single generation flies in June and July..
What is the life cycle of a European Corn Borer Moth?
The main foodplant in Britain is Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris), although abroad it is often a pest on maize crops.