Mountain Plume Moth - Hodges#6157
Adaina montanus
This record describes Adaina montanus (species). Recorded family: Pterophoridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Wings | Wings: White, deeply cleft with some speckled brown scales. Heavy brown scales at wing tips. A wide, broken, dark brown-speckled streak diagonal across mid-wing touching the base of the lobe division. The second lobe has a brown streak on inner edge tip. Fringe white, except tips at inner margin on both lobes dark Genitalia: Larva - variable, from pale green, pale gray or even pale chocolate with fans and tufts of white hairs (Comstock & Dammers, 1935). Last 2 or 3 segments yellow. Three white stripes on top (dorsal); white hairs are bent at tips. Row of black dots along each side, with hair tufts. |
| Head | Head pale green, hidden by long white hairs. Types: Holotype as Aciptilus montanus by Walsingham. Type Locality: California. In the American Museum of Natural History, New York, N. Y. Holotype as Pterophorus declivis male by Meyrick, 1913. Type Locality: Ontario. In the British Museum of Natural History, London, England. |
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pterophoroidea
- Family
- Pterophoridae (Plume Moths)
- Subfamily
- Pterophorinae
- Tribe
- Oidaematophorini
- Genus
- Adaina
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Field edges and meadows.
Geographic Range
Powell & Opler state that the range is poorly known. Originally described from California with records from Ontario, New York and Colorado.
Seasonal Activity
July and August.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae feed on Canada cocklebur ( Xanthium strumarium canadense ) (Comstock & Dammers, 1935). Powell & Opler add the hosts aster and goldenrod ( Solidago ).
Life History
Females lay eggs on underside of leaves. Larva feed on underside of leaf, later moving to top side. Pupates on silk pad on underside of leaf. Pupa 6 mm long; light green to reddish to brown; sometimes with a reddish stripe. Overwinters in egg stage. See Comstock & Dammers. Pupation occurs on the plant.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Adaina montanus. 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 Mountain Plume Moth - Hodges#6157 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Randy Hardy , lee_penner , treichard , Robert H. Biagi
Frequently Asked Questions About Mountain Plume Moth - Hodges#6157
What is Mountain Plume Moth - Hodges#6157?
Mountain Plume Moth - Hodges#6157 (Adaina montanus) is a species in the family Pterophoridae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Mountain Plume Moth - Hodges#6157?
Forewing length 7.5-8.5 mm (Powell & Opler, 2009). Larvae mature to 12 mm (Comstock & Dammers, 1935). Pupa 6 mm (Comstock & Dammers, 1935).
How do you identify Mountain Plume Moth - Hodges#6157?
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Wings | Wings: White, deeply cleft with some speckled brown scales. Heavy brown scales at wing tips. A wide, broken, dark brown-speckled streak diagonal across mid-wing touching the base of the lobe division. The second lobe has a brown streak on inner edge tip. Fringe white, except tips at inner margin on both lobes dark Genitalia: Larva - variable, from pale green, pale gray or even pale chocolate with fans and tufts of white hairs (Comstock & Dammers, 1935). Last 2 or 3 segments yellow. Three white stripes on top (dorsal); white hairs are bent at tips. Row of black dots along each side, with hair tufts. |
| Head | Head pale green, hidden by long white hairs. |
Where is Mountain Plume Moth - Hodges#6157 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Field edges and meadows. |
| Range | Powell & Opler state that the range is poorly known. Originally described from California with records from Ontario, New York and Colorado. |
What does Mountain Plume Moth - Hodges#6157 eat?
The diet of the Mountain Plume Moth - Hodges#6157 includes Larvae feed on Canada cocklebur ( Xanthium strumarium canadense ) (Comstock & Dammers, 1935). Powell & Opler add the hosts aster and goldenrod ( Solidago )..
When is Mountain Plume Moth - Hodges#6157 active?
Mountain Plume Moth - Hodges#6157: seasonal activity - July and August..
What is the life cycle of a Mountain Plume Moth - Hodges#6157?
Females lay eggs on underside of leaves. Larva feed on underside of leaf, later moving to top side. Pupates on silk pad on underside of leaf. Pupa 6 mm long; light green to reddish to brown; sometimes with a reddish stripe. Overwinters in egg stage. See Comstock & Dammers. Pupation occurs on the plant.