Agnoea josephinae
This record describes Agnoea josephinae (species). Recorded family: Lypusidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
It is very similar to Agnoea (Pseudatemelia) flavifrontella and adults are best identified by examination of the genitallia. Best identified by examination of the genitallia. Records in May and early June are likely to be flavifrontella , but from mid-June onwards gen det is essential. Woodland, and especially areas where Bilberry is present. Adult moths are on the wing from late June to early August and come to light. Associated with Bilberry. Larva feeding for two years on decaying leaves on the ground, in a succession of portable cases made from folded dead leaf sections. Occurs locally in a disjunct distribution covering southern England and south Wales, and in northern England and Scotland. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local. No additional images available for this species.
Wikipedia reference for Agnoea josephinae: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnoea_josephinae.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Family
- Lypusidae
- Genus
- Agnoea
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Woodland, and especially areas where Bilberry is present.
Seasonal Activity
Adult moths are on the wing from late June to early August and come to light.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
Associated with Bilberry. Larva feeding for two years on decaying leaves on the ground, in a succession of portable cases made from folded dead leaf sections.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Occurs locally in a disjunct distribution covering southern England and south Wales, and in northern England and Scotland. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Agnoea josephinae. 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 Agnoea josephinae (2)
Frequently Asked Questions About Agnoea josephinae
What is Agnoea josephinae?
Agnoea josephinae is a species in the family Lypusidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Agnoea josephinae found?
Habitat: Woodland, and especially areas where Bilberry is present.
When is Agnoea josephinae active?
Agnoea josephinae: seasonal activity - Adult moths are on the wing from late June to early August and come to light..
What is the life cycle of a Agnoea josephinae?
Associated with Bilberry. Larva feeding for two years on decaying leaves on the ground, in a succession of portable cases made from folded dead leaf sections.