Aetole unipunctella - Hodges#2506
Aetole unipunctella
This record describes Aetole unipunctella (species). Recorded family: Heliodinidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Yponomeutoidea
- Family
- Heliodinidae (Sun Moths)
- Genus
- Aetole
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
s. CA to w. TX / Mex. Map
Seasonal Activity
Records throughout the year.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae are leaf miners of scarlet spiderling ( Boerhavia coccinea , Nyctaginaceae) in Arizona . Adults have been recorded, presumably nectaring, at various plants including Boerhavia , Erogonum , and Bahia in Arizona, Cassia in Mexico.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: unipunctella (L). "one point."
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Aetole unipunctella. 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 Aetole unipunctella - Hodges#2506 (3)
Photo credits: Contributed by john and jane balaban; Additional contributions by Mike Quinn , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Aetole unipunctella - Hodges#2506
How big is Aetole unipunctella - Hodges#2506?
Forewing length 3.4-5.7 mm.
Where is Aetole unipunctella - Hodges#2506 found?
Range: s. CA to w. TX / Mex. Map
What does Aetole unipunctella - Hodges#2506 eat?
The diet of the Aetole unipunctella - Hodges#2506 includes Larvae are leaf miners of scarlet spiderling ( Boerhavia coccinea , Nyctaginaceae) in Arizona . Adults have been recorded, presumably nectaring, at various plants including Boerhavia , Erogonum , and Bahia in Arizona, Cassia in Mexico..
When is Aetole unipunctella - Hodges#2506 active?
Aetole unipunctella - Hodges#2506: seasonal activity - Records throughout the year..