Agnippe prunifoliella - Hodges#1771
Agnippe prunifoliella
This record describes Agnippe prunifoliella (species). Recorded family: Gelechiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Prunifoliella is Latin meaning plum leaf, where Chambers found the caterpillars feeding. The larvae are known to be parisitized by the Ichneumon wasp Orgilus gelechiae ( 278 ).
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Gelechioidea
- Family
- Gelechiidae (Twirler Moths)
- Subfamily
- Gelechiinae
- Tribe
- Litini
- Genus
- Agnippe
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Chambers reported the larvae feed on leaves of Prunus americana (American Plum). Busck adds peach, also in Prunus .
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Agnippe prunifoliella (Chambers, 1873) Evippe prunifoliella Chambers, 1873
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Agnippe prunifoliella. 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 Agnippe prunifoliella - Hodges#1771 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Charley Eiseman; Additional contributions by Tony-2 , Maury Heiman , Randy Hardy , Steve Morris
Frequently Asked Questions About Agnippe prunifoliella - Hodges#1771
What is Agnippe prunifoliella - Hodges#1771?
Agnippe prunifoliella - Hodges#1771 (Agnippe prunifoliella) is a species in the family Gelechiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Agnippe prunifoliella - Hodges#1771?
Prunifoliella is Latin meaning plum leaf, where Chambers found the caterpillars feeding.
What does Agnippe prunifoliella - Hodges#1771 eat?
The diet of the Agnippe prunifoliella - Hodges#1771 includes Chambers reported the larvae feed on leaves of Prunus americana (American Plum). Busck adds peach, also in Prunus ..