Agathodes monstralis - Hodges#5240
Agathodes monstralis
This record describes Agathodes monstralis (species). Recorded family: Crambidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult: purple-and-green marbled, hindwings are beige, abdomen held in an up-right position, males with pair of hair-pencils that are extended for the release of pheromones. Larva: early instars translucent and orange with six rows of short, black-sclerotized tubercles, and are cryptic. Later instars with cream-colored longitudinal stripes, and the black tubercles become more prominent on the orange background, head is bright red.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pyraloidea
- Family
- Crambidae (Crambid Snout Moths)
- Subfamily
- Spilomelinae
- Tribe
- Margaroniini
- Genus
- Agathodes
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
mostly coastal localities from SC to e TX, plus se AZ / W. Indies - Map (MPG)
Seasonal Activity
Four generations between May and September in north-central Florida
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae are leaf-rollers; hosts are Erythrina flabelliformis in Arizona and Erythrina , Inga , Citharexylum in Florida. More complete information from Sourakov, 2011. Summer and Fall generations feed on leaves and develop slower than the Spring generation that feeds on nutritious flowers
Life History
Eggs laid singly on the ventral side of the leaf (Bourquin 1945). See complete life history by Sourakov, 2011
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Agathodes monstralis Guenée, 1854, formerly treated as a subspecies of Agathodes designalis Guenée, 1854, is raised to full species status with Stenurges floridalis Hulst, 1886 as a synonym. A. designalis is extralimital north of Costa Rica. - Sourakov et al. (2015)
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Agathodes monstralis. 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 Agathodes monstralis - Hodges#5240 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by tom murray; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Mike Quinn , Jason D. Roberts , Maury Heiman , Chuck Sexton , Randy Hardy , Kyhl Austin
Frequently Asked Questions About Agathodes monstralis - Hodges#5240
What is Agathodes monstralis - Hodges#5240?
Agathodes monstralis - Hodges#5240 (Agathodes monstralis) is a species in the family Crambidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Agathodes monstralis - Hodges#5240?
Forewing length 13-18.5 mm.
How do you identify Agathodes monstralis - Hodges#5240?
Adult: purple-and-green marbled, hindwings are beige, abdomen held in an up-right position, males with pair of hair-pencils that are extended for the release of pheromones. Larva: early instars translucent and orange with six rows of short, black-sclerotized tubercles, and are cryptic. Later instars with cream-colored longitudinal stripes, and the black tubercles become more prominent on the orange background, head is bright red.
Where is Agathodes monstralis - Hodges#5240 found?
Range: mostly coastal localities from SC to e TX, plus se AZ / W. Indies - Map (MPG)
What does Agathodes monstralis - Hodges#5240 eat?
The diet of the Agathodes monstralis - Hodges#5240 includes Larvae are leaf-rollers; hosts are Erythrina flabelliformis in Arizona and Erythrina , Inga , Citharexylum in Florida. More complete information from Sourakov, 2011. Summer and Fall generations feed on leaves and develop slower than the Spring generation that feeds on nutritious flowers.
When is Agathodes monstralis - Hodges#5240 active?
Agathodes monstralis - Hodges#5240: seasonal activity - Four generations between May and September in north-central Florida.
What is the life cycle of a Agathodes monstralis - Hodges#5240?
Eggs laid singly on the ventral side of the leaf (Bourquin 1945). See complete life history by Sourakov, 2011