Acrobasis minimella - Hodges#5657
Acrobasis minimella
This record describes Acrobasis minimella (species). Recorded family: Pyralidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pyraloidea
- Family
- Pyralidae (Pyralid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Phycitinae
- Tribe
- Phycitini
- Genus
- Acrobasis
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
New Jersey south to FLorida and west to Texas
Seasonal Activity
in North Carolina overwinters in the soil as a last-stage larva or prepupa and pupates in late April or early May. Adults emerge from the soil in early May and continue to be present until early June
Diet and Behavior
Diet: larval hosts are Oaks. Has been collected from Quercus alba L. , Q. borealis var. maxima , Q. falcata , Q. laevis , Q, marilandica , and Q. velutina . Appears to prefer Q. marilandica and Q. alba
Life History
larvae, most at 1 to 3 meters above the soil surface, feeds on the lower epidermis and constructs a very small protective tube from its frass pellets and silk. The tube is enlarged as the larva grows. Only tissue near the opening of the tube is consumed. The larva retreats within its tube and seals the entrance to molt. The tube is never moved. With last-stage larvae the tube is brown, elongate, sinuous, and 35-50 mm. Although the upper leaf tissue is left intact, it turns brown within a few days after the lower tissues are eaten. Larvae are parasitized by Braconid and Chalcid wasps
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Acrobasis minimella. 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 Acrobasis minimella - Hodges#5657 (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by v belov; Additional contributions by Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Acrobasis minimella - Hodges#5657
Where is Acrobasis minimella - Hodges#5657 found?
Range: New Jersey south to FLorida and west to Texas
What does Acrobasis minimella - Hodges#5657 eat?
The diet of the Acrobasis minimella - Hodges#5657 includes larval hosts are Oaks. Has been collected from Quercus alba L. , Q. borealis var. maxima , Q. falcata , Q. laevis , Q, marilandica , and Q. velutina . Appears to prefer Q. marilandica and Q. alba.
When is Acrobasis minimella - Hodges#5657 active?
Acrobasis minimella - Hodges#5657: seasonal activity - in North Carolina overwinters in the soil as a last-stage larva or prepupa and pupates in late April or early May. Adults emerge from the soil in early May and continue to be present until early June.
What is the life cycle of a Acrobasis minimella - Hodges#5657?
larvae, most at 1 to 3 meters above the soil surface, feeds on the lower epidermis and constructs a very small protective tube from its frass pellets and silk. The tube is enlarged as the larva grows. Only tissue near the opening of the tube is consumed. The larva retreats within its tube and seals the entrance to molt. The tube is never moved. With last-stage larvae the tube is brown, elongate, sinuous, and 35-50 mm. Although the upper leaf tissue is left intact, it turns brown within a few days after the lower tissues are eaten. Larvae are parasitized by Braconid and Chalcid wasps