Agapeta zoegana
This record describes Agapeta zoegana (species). Recorded family: Tortricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 15-25 mm. Usual form is yellow with russet wing markings similar to A. hamana . The form ferrugana has orange-brown ground colour instead of the normal yellow. Both have distinctive brown ring at wing-tip. Its main foodplant is Common Knapweed (Centaurea nigra). Flies from dusk into the night and is attracted to light. This distinctive species is distributed over much of Britain but is scarcer in northern parts. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Tortricoidea
- Family
- Tortricidae (Tortricid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Tortricinae
- Tribe
- Cochylini
- Genus
- Agapeta
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Its main foodplant is Common Knapweed (Centaurea nigra).
Seasonal Activity
May to August.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
Flies from dusk into the night and is attracted to light.
Additional species information
Recorded status
This distinctive species is distributed over much of Britain but is scarcer in northern parts. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Agapeta zoegana. 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 Agapeta zoegana (10)
Frequently Asked Questions About Agapeta zoegana
What is Agapeta zoegana?
Agapeta zoegana is a species in the family Tortricidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Agapeta zoegana found?
Habitat: Its main foodplant is Common Knapweed (Centaurea nigra).
When is Agapeta zoegana active?
Agapeta zoegana: seasonal activity - May to August..
What is the life cycle of a Agapeta zoegana?
Flies from dusk into the night and is attracted to light.