Chocolate Moth - Hodges#9636
Acherdoa ferraria
This record describes Acherdoa ferraria (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult: forewing chocolate to reddish-brown with purplish-gray in terminal area; lower AM and PM lines white; most of reniform spot edged with white; hindwing brownish-black; antennae broadly pectinate in male, simple in female [description by Charles Covell]
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
- Subfamily
- Noctuinae
- Tribe
- Phosphilini
- Genus
- Acherdoa
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Maryland and Virginia to Florida, west to Louisiana
Seasonal Activity
adults fly from March to September, or all year in southern Florida
Diet and Behavior
Diet: larval food unrecorded
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Acherdoa ferraria. 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 Chocolate Moth - Hodges#9636 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by john and jane balaban , Maury Heiman
Frequently Asked Questions About Chocolate Moth - Hodges#9636
What is Chocolate Moth - Hodges#9636?
Chocolate Moth - Hodges#9636 (Acherdoa ferraria) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Chocolate Moth - Hodges#9636?
wingspan 26-28 mm
How do you identify Chocolate Moth - Hodges#9636?
Adult: forewing chocolate to reddish-brown with purplish-gray in terminal area; lower AM and PM lines white; most of reniform spot edged with white; hindwing brownish-black; antennae broadly pectinate in male, simple in female [description by Charles Covell]
Where is Chocolate Moth - Hodges#9636 found?
Range: Maryland and Virginia to Florida, west to Louisiana
What does Chocolate Moth - Hodges#9636 eat?
The diet of the Chocolate Moth - Hodges#9636 includes larval food unrecorded.
When is Chocolate Moth - Hodges#9636 active?
Chocolate Moth - Hodges#9636: seasonal activity - adults fly from March to September, or all year in southern Florida.