LepidopteraCrambidae – Crambid Snout Moths

Anania plectilis - Hodges#4953.1

Anania plectilis

This record describes Anania plectilis (species). Recorded family: Crambidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.

Identification and Appearance

Anania plectilis - Hodges#4953.1 - Anania plectilis
Contributed by Steve Nanz; Additional contributions by Robin McLeod , JoAnneRusso , Blocky , Steve Morris

Adult: wings dull grayish-brown with pale yellow spots and accents along darker lines; forewing and hindwing with large yellowish spots outside PM line; PM line zigzagged and sharply pointed on all wings [adapted from description of Anania coronata by Charles Covell]

Classification

Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily
Pyraloidea
Family
Crambidae (Crambid Snout Moths)
Subfamily
Pyraustinae
Tribe
Pyraustini
Genus
Anania

Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.

Habitat and Range

Geographic Range

Eastern Nearctic region [United States (Minnesota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, North Carolina, Florida), Canada (Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland, Labrador)] (Yang Z., et al. 2012)

About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group

Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Anania plectilis. 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.

Explore Lepidoptera families and species →

Photos of Anania plectilis - Hodges#4953.1 (5)

Anania plectilis - Hodges#4953.1 - photo 1
Contributed by Steve Nanz; Additional contributions by Robin McLeod , JoAnneRusso , Blocky , Steve Morris
Anania plectilis - Hodges#4953.1 - photo 2
Contributed by Steve Nanz; Additional contributions by Robin McLeod , JoAnneRusso , Blocky , Steve Morris
Anania plectilis - Hodges#4953.1 - photo 3
Contributed by Steve Nanz; Additional contributions by Robin McLeod , JoAnneRusso , Blocky , Steve Morris
Anania plectilis - Hodges#4953.1 - photo 4
Contributed by Steve Nanz; Additional contributions by Robin McLeod , JoAnneRusso , Blocky , Steve Morris
Anania plectilis - Hodges#4953.1 - photo 5
Contributed by Steve Nanz; Additional contributions by Robin McLeod , JoAnneRusso , Blocky , Steve Morris

Photo credits: Contributed by Steve Nanz; Additional contributions by Robin McLeod , JoAnneRusso , Blocky , Steve Morris

Frequently Asked Questions About Anania plectilis - Hodges#4953.1

What is Anania plectilis - Hodges#4953.1?

Anania plectilis - Hodges#4953.1 (Anania plectilis) is a species in the family Crambidae, within the order Lepidoptera.

How big is Anania plectilis - Hodges#4953.1?

forewing length: ~11.5 mm

How do you identify Anania plectilis - Hodges#4953.1?

Adult: wings dull grayish-brown with pale yellow spots and accents along darker lines; forewing and hindwing with large yellowish spots outside PM line; PM line zigzagged and sharply pointed on all wings [adapted from description of Anania coronata by Charles Covell]

Where is Anania plectilis - Hodges#4953.1 found?

Range: Eastern Nearctic region [United States (Minnesota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, North Carolina, Florida), Canada (Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland, Labrador)] (Yang Z., et al. 2012)

How we use and review source data. Source count does not imply independent verification.

Photo credits: Contributed by Steve Nanz; Additional contributions by Robin McLeod , JoAnneRusso , Blocky , Steve Morris. Contributors retain copyright over their individual contributions.