Amphipoea keiferi - Hodges#9460
Amphipoea keiferi
This record describes Amphipoea keiferi (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Straw colored or pinkish-buff forewing with faint transverse lines (sometimes absent) and darkened veins on forewing. Light orange scaling around reniform spot can be diagnostic .
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
- Subfamily
- Noctuinae
- Tribe
- Apameini
- Genus
- Amphipoea
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Northern California to Washington and widespread in the Great Basin area. Type specimen collected in California, Modoc Co., Cedarville. ( 4 ) Moth Photographers Group - large range map with some collection records.
Seasonal Activity
Adults fly late season from July to October.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larval host plant is Iris missouriensis Nutt. (wild iris). ,
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Named for H. H. Keifer, State of California, Dept. of Agriculture, who first collected the species.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Amphipoea keiferi. 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 Amphipoea keiferi - Hodges#9460 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by Chuck Sexton
Frequently Asked Questions About Amphipoea keiferi - Hodges#9460
What is Amphipoea keiferi - Hodges#9460?
Amphipoea keiferi - Hodges#9460 (Amphipoea keiferi) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Amphipoea keiferi - Hodges#9460?
Forewing length 14-17 mm.
How do you identify Amphipoea keiferi - Hodges#9460?
Straw colored or pinkish-buff forewing with faint transverse lines (sometimes absent) and darkened veins on forewing. Light orange scaling around reniform spot can be diagnostic .
Where is Amphipoea keiferi - Hodges#9460 found?
Range: Northern California to Washington and widespread in the Great Basin area. Type specimen collected in California, Modoc Co., Cedarville. ( 4 ) Moth Photographers Group - large range map with some collection records.
What does Amphipoea keiferi - Hodges#9460 eat?
The diet of the Amphipoea keiferi - Hodges#9460 includes Larval host plant is Iris missouriensis Nutt. (wild iris). ,.
When is Amphipoea keiferi - Hodges#9460 active?
Amphipoea keiferi - Hodges#9460: seasonal activity - Adults fly late season from July to October..