Achyra bifidalis - Hodges#4974
Achyra bifidalis
This record describes Achyra bifidalis (species). Recorded family: Crambidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pyraloidea
- Family
- Crambidae (Crambid Snout Moths)
- Subfamily
- Pyraustinae
- Tribe
- Pyraustini
- Genus
- Achyra
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Southern US from Arizona to Florida and south to South America. Capps states Alberta, Texas to Arizona.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larval hosts are cotton ( Gossypium ) and purslane ( Portulaca ) (Capps, 1967).
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: From Latin bifidus meaning "forked or cleft into two parts".
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Achyra bifidalis. 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 Achyra bifidalis - Hodges#4974 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Mike Quinn; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Maury Heiman , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Achyra bifidalis - Hodges#4974
How big is Achyra bifidalis - Hodges#4974?
Wingspan 20-24 mm (Capps, 1967). Larva to 24-27 mm (Capps, 1967).
Where is Achyra bifidalis - Hodges#4974 found?
Range: Southern US from Arizona to Florida and south to South America. Capps states Alberta, Texas to Arizona.
What does Achyra bifidalis - Hodges#4974 eat?
The diet of the Achyra bifidalis - Hodges#4974 includes Larval hosts are cotton ( Gossypium ) and purslane ( Portulaca ) (Capps, 1967)..