Anania plectilis - Hodges#4953.1
Anania plectilis
This record describes Anania plectilis (species). Recorded family: Crambidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance

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.
Photos of Anania plectilis - Hodges#4953.1 (5)
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)
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