Alpheias transferens - Hodges#5646
Alpheias transferens
This record describes Alpheias transferens (species). Recorded family: Pyralidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pyraloidea
- Family
- Pyralidae (Pyralid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Galleriinae
- Tribe
- Cacotherapiini
- Genus
- Alpheias
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Southern California to Utah. Holotype ♂: Claremont, CA (C.F. Baker ). Listed from the Pacific Northwest Pacific Northwest (PNW) Defoliators
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae have been found in root crowns of Chrysothamus (rabitbush, Asteraceae) possibly feeding on larval tortricids or beetles.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Specific epithet from Latin meaning "transfer, transpose, transplant."
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Alpheias transferens. 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 Alpheias transferens - Hodges#5646 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Randy Hardy; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Maury Heiman , Blocky
Frequently Asked Questions About Alpheias transferens - Hodges#5646
How big is Alpheias transferens - Hodges#5646?
Dyar (1917) listed the wingspan of the holotype ♂ 15 mm.
Where is Alpheias transferens - Hodges#5646 found?
Range: Southern California to Utah. Holotype ♂: Claremont, CA (C.F. Baker ). Listed from the Pacific Northwest Pacific Northwest (PNW) Defoliators
What does Alpheias transferens - Hodges#5646 eat?
The diet of the Alpheias transferens - Hodges#5646 includes Larvae have been found in root crowns of Chrysothamus (rabitbush, Asteraceae) possibly feeding on larval tortricids or beetles..