Three-dotted Plume Moth - Hodges#6155.1
Adaina simplicius
This record describes Adaina simplicius (species). Recorded family: Pterophoridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult : Head is pale yellowish, tinged with brownish, especially on the vertex. Thorax is pale straw-yellow. FW are very pale straw-yellow, the costa with a few brown scales, a small patch of similarly colored scales on the costa, beyond the incision and another near the center of the wing at the incision. A few more brown scales are found on the inner edge of both lobes near the apex. HW are smoky. It was introduced to South Africa for study as a biological control agent for Eupatorium macrocephalum.
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
Geographic Range
North America (including Mississippi and Florida), Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Paraguay and Puerto Rico.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae feed on various composites, including sunflower plants, Carphephorus odoratissimus, Carphephorus paniculatus, Conoclinium coelestinum and Pluchea odorata. Larvae induce the formation of stem galls on their host plant, feeding and pupating within the galls.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Adaina simplicius. 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 Three-dotted Plume Moth - Hodges#6155.1 (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by Jeff Hollenbeck; Additional contributions by Chuck Entz , Robert Lord Zimlich , treichard , Blocky
Frequently Asked Questions About Three-dotted Plume Moth - Hodges#6155.1
What is Three-dotted Plume Moth - Hodges#6155.1?
Three-dotted Plume Moth - Hodges#6155.1 (Adaina simplicius) is a species in the family Pterophoridae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Three-dotted Plume Moth - Hodges#6155.1?
WS ≈ 10mm
How do you identify Three-dotted Plume Moth - Hodges#6155.1?
Adult : Head is pale yellowish, tinged with brownish, especially on the vertex. Thorax is pale straw-yellow. FW are very pale straw-yellow, the costa with a few brown scales, a small patch of similarly colored scales on the costa, beyond the incision and another near the center of the wing at the incision. A few more brown scales are found on the inner edge of both lobes near the apex. HW are smoky.
Where is Three-dotted Plume Moth - Hodges#6155.1 found?
Range: North America (including Mississippi and Florida), Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Paraguay and Puerto Rico.
What does Three-dotted Plume Moth - Hodges#6155.1 eat?
The diet of the Three-dotted Plume Moth - Hodges#6155.1 includes Larvae feed on various composites, including sunflower plants, Carphephorus odoratissimus, Carphephorus paniculatus, Conoclinium coelestinum and Pluchea odorata. Larvae induce the formation of stem galls on their host plant, feeding and pupating within the galls..