Aethes spartinana - Hodges#3761.1
Aethes spartinana
This record describes Aethes spartinana (species). Recorded family: Tortricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Aethes spartinana - Hodges#3761.1 (Aethes spartinana) is a species in the family Tortricidae, commonly known as tortricid moths, belonging to the order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths). It is classified within the subfamily Tortricinae, tribe Cochylini, superfamily Tortricoidea. This species belongs to the genus Aethes. Size: Expanse: 20-25 mm.. Active during Adults on wing from July to August ..
Identification notes
Adult - see Razowski.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Tortricoidea
- Family
- Tortricidae (Tortricid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Tortricinae
- Tribe
- Cochylini
- Genus
- Aethes
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Alberta to Nova Scotia, south to Massachusetts, Missouri, and Wyoming. This is mostly a Great Plains species with occasional eastern records. Type locality: Elk Point, South Dakota (C.N. Ainslie ).
Seasonal Activity
Adults on wing from July to August .
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae feed on Spartina spp. (cordgrass) .
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Specif epithet for the larval host genus ( Spartina ).
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Aethes spartinana. 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 Aethes spartinana - Hodges#3761.1 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Kyhl Austin; Additional contributions by Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Aethes spartinana - Hodges#3761.1
What is Aethes spartinana - Hodges#3761.1?
Aethes spartinana - Hodges#3761.1 (Aethes spartinana) is a species in the family Tortricidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Aethes spartinana - Hodges#3761.1?
Expanse: 20-25 mm.
How do you identify Aethes spartinana - Hodges#3761.1?
Adult - see Razowski.
Where is Aethes spartinana - Hodges#3761.1 found?
Range: Alberta to Nova Scotia, south to Massachusetts, Missouri, and Wyoming. This is mostly a Great Plains species with occasional eastern records. Type locality: Elk Point, South Dakota (C.N. Ainslie ).
What does Aethes spartinana - Hodges#3761.1 eat?
The diet of the Aethes spartinana - Hodges#3761.1 includes Larvae feed on Spartina spp. (cordgrass) ..
When is Aethes spartinana - Hodges#3761.1 active?
Aethes spartinana - Hodges#3761.1: seasonal activity - Adults on wing from July to August ..