Agonopterix pteleae - Hodges#0865
Agonopterix pteleae
This record describes Agonopterix pteleae (species). Recorded family: Depressariidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Wings | Wings: Unmistakable rough, raised hair-like scales over wings (may be absent on over-wintered moths). |
| Forewings | Forewings light yellowish-brown, with patchy, mottled black and dark brown rough, raised scales. Base more whitish-yellow, outer border lined with brown. Large, rounded spot at 2/3 wing length (discal cell), covers from outer margin to center of wing. No white scales. Series of uneven dark dots and marks along costa and wing tip. Fringe yellowish-brown. |
| Hindwing | Hindwing yellowish-brown, base and fringe lighter. Type: Holotype Agonopterix pteleae by Barnes & Busch, 1920. #22666. Type Locality: Decatur, Illinois. In the United States National Museum, Smithsonian, Washington, D. C. Note: Two specimens from Rockford, Ill (Collector O. H. S.) are larger and darker than the types in Smithsonian. A fine, large bred series from Hoptree together with A. nigrinotella Busck, [error – nigrinotella feeds only on Prickly Ash Zanthoxylum americana] by Dr. J. H. McDunnough in Smithsonian. |
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Gelechioidea
- Family
- Depressariidae
- Subfamily
- Depressariinae
- Genus
- Agonopterix
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Forest edges with sandy soils, lake shores.
Seasonal Activity
March to September in the south, Late May to Sept. in the north.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Hoptree Ptelea trifoliata.
Life History
Larvae of A. pteleae and A. costimacula both feed on Hoptree Ptelea trifoliata. Both are pale green with no black markings or pinacula (dark spots bearing hair) on the body, but may have a blackish mark on side of head (absent to prominent). Larvae turn reddish-pink before pupating. Both species over-winter as adults, with at least two generations or more per year.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Agonopterix pteleae. 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.
Frequently Asked Questions About Agonopterix pteleae - Hodges#0865
What is Agonopterix pteleae - Hodges#0865?
Agonopterix pteleae - Hodges#0865 (Agonopterix pteleae) is a species in the family Depressariidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Agonopterix pteleae - Hodges#0865?
10 to 12 mm long. Wingspan 20-22 mm.
How do you identify Agonopterix pteleae - Hodges#0865?
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Wings | Wings: Unmistakable rough, raised hair-like scales over wings (may be absent on over-wintered moths). |
| Forewings | Forewings light yellowish-brown, with patchy, mottled black and dark brown rough, raised scales. Base more whitish-yellow, outer border lined with brown. Large, rounded spot at 2/3 wing length (discal cell), covers from outer margin to center of wing. No white scales. Series of uneven dark dots and marks along costa and wing tip. Fringe yellowish-brown. |
| Hindwing | Hindwing yellowish-brown, base and fringe lighter. |
Where is Agonopterix pteleae - Hodges#0865 found?
Habitat: Forest edges with sandy soils, lake shores.
What does Agonopterix pteleae - Hodges#0865 eat?
The diet of the Agonopterix pteleae - Hodges#0865 includes Hoptree Ptelea trifoliata..
When is Agonopterix pteleae - Hodges#0865 active?
Agonopterix pteleae - Hodges#0865: seasonal activity - March to September in the south, Late May to Sept. in the north..
What is the life cycle of a Agonopterix pteleae - Hodges#0865?
Larvae of A. pteleae and A. costimacula both feed on Hoptree Ptelea trifoliata. Both are pale green with no black markings or pinacula (dark spots bearing hair) on the body, but may have a blackish mark on side of head (absent to prominent). Larvae turn reddish-pink before pupating. Both species over-winter as adults, with at least two generations or more per year.