Acronicta thoracica - Hodges#9230
Acronicta thoracica
This record describes Acronicta thoracica (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Additional details | One of two western Acronicta with goldish brown middorsal thoracic tuft. |
| Forewing | Forewing light gray with dark transverse markings; AM line indistinct and usually absent below basal dash; medial line is black diffuse bar from slanting from costa and separating reniform and orbicular stigma; PM line is sagittate, faintly paler than ground color with fine black distal border; black basal, subtornal and subapical dashes are long and thin; orbicular spot is oblong, faintly outlined in black and filled with pale shading; reniform is indistinct except for brown shading and basal side black edged in black; black interveinal dashes of fringe rather prominent and often extending into ST area. |
| Hindwing | Hindwing is dirty white with dark fuscous veins and diffuse fuscous shade to terminal line and medial line that is more pronounced in females. |
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
- Subfamily
- Acronictinae
- Genus
- Acronicta (Dagger Moths)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
mid-elevation montane woodlands; often from riparian and canyon habitats
Geographic Range
Western Texas to Arizona and north to Colorado, Utah and southern Wyoming.
Seasonal Activity
June to September, rarely May
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Acronicta thoracica. 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 Acronicta thoracica - Hodges#9230 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by Randy Hardy , Steve Morris
Frequently Asked Questions About Acronicta thoracica - Hodges#9230
What is Acronicta thoracica - Hodges#9230?
Acronicta thoracica - Hodges#9230 (Acronicta thoracica) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Acronicta thoracica - Hodges#9230?
Forewing length averages ~19 mm
How do you identify Acronicta thoracica - Hodges#9230?
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Additional details | One of two western Acronicta with goldish brown middorsal thoracic tuft. |
| Forewing | Forewing light gray with dark transverse markings; AM line indistinct and usually absent below basal dash; medial line is black diffuse bar from slanting from costa and separating reniform and orbicular stigma; PM line is sagittate, faintly paler than ground color with fine black distal border; black basal, subtornal and subapical dashes are long and thin; orbicular spot is oblong, faintly outlined in black and filled with pale shading; reniform is indistinct except for brown shading and basal side black edged in black; black interveinal dashes of fringe rather prominent and often extending into ST area. |
| Hindwing | Hindwing is dirty white with dark fuscous veins and diffuse fuscous shade to terminal line and medial line that is more pronounced in females. |
Where is Acronicta thoracica - Hodges#9230 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | mid-elevation montane woodlands; often from riparian and canyon habitats |
| Range | Western Texas to Arizona and north to Colorado, Utah and southern Wyoming. |
When is Acronicta thoracica - Hodges#9230 active?
Acronicta thoracica - Hodges#9230: seasonal activity - June to September, rarely May.