Apamea commoda - Hodges#9359
Apamea commoda
This record describes Apamea commoda (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Two very different forms. A medium-sized very dark chocolate or red-brown moth, dusted and shaded with blackish. FW veins black with a few light scales, pattern normal, black where visible, but often lost. Lines fine, single, scalloped, the claviform a small loop, the orb. and ren. often vaguely marked by pale scales, sometimes obsolete. ST obscure, but usually indicated by prceding black wedges. HW sooty brown, with darkening along the veins and a discal mark, fringes paler. Antennae simple; sexes similar.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
- Subfamily
- Noctuinae
- Tribe
- Apameini
- Genus
- Apamea
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Open woodlands, meadows and grasslands
Seasonal Activity
June-July
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Apamea commoda. 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 Apamea commoda - Hodges#9359 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Ian Maton; Additional contributions by Jim Johnson
Frequently Asked Questions About Apamea commoda - Hodges#9359
What is Apamea commoda - Hodges#9359?
Apamea commoda - Hodges#9359 (Apamea commoda) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Apamea commoda - Hodges#9359?
Two very different forms. A medium-sized very dark chocolate or red-brown moth, dusted and shaded with blackish. FW veins black with a few light scales, pattern normal, black where visible, but often lost. Lines fine, single, scalloped, the claviform a small loop, the orb. and ren. often vaguely marked by pale scales, sometimes obsolete. ST obscure, but usually indicated by prceding black wedges. HW sooty brown, with darkening along the veins and a discal mark, fringes paler. Antennae simple; sexes similar.
Where is Apamea commoda - Hodges#9359 found?
Habitat: Open woodlands, meadows and grasslands
When is Apamea commoda - Hodges#9359 active?
Apamea commoda - Hodges#9359: seasonal activity - June-July.