Alabonia geoffrella
This record describes Alabonia geoffrella (species). Recorded family: Oecophoridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 17-21 mm. A spectacular day-flying species, with its combination of rufous, white and metallic blue markings and remarkably large labial palps. Please provide photograph to support records as this moth is uncommon in our area. It occurs reasonably commonly in England and Wales. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
Wikipedia reference for Alabonia geoffrella: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alabonia geoffrella.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Gelechioidea
- Family
- Oecophoridae (Concealer Moths)
- Genus
- Alabonia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Inhabits woodland and marshy places.
Seasonal Activity
Flies during May and June.
Additional species information
Recorded status
It occurs reasonably commonly in England and Wales. 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 Alabonia geoffrella. 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 Alabonia geoffrella (5)
Frequently Asked Questions About Alabonia geoffrella
What is Alabonia geoffrella?
Alabonia geoffrella is a species in the family Oecophoridae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Alabonia geoffrella found?
Habitat: Inhabits woodland and marshy places.
When is Alabonia geoffrella active?
Alabonia geoffrella: seasonal activity - Flies during May and June..