Yellow Three-Spot - Hodges#9373
Apamea helva
This record describes Apamea helva (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult: forewing dull orangish-yellow with broken gray lines and three gray patches: at costa above reniform spot, in lower half of reniform spot, and near apex; subterminal line broken near costa (a distinctive feature); hindwing grayish-brown with dark dots along orangish-yellow outer margin [adapted from description by Charles Covell]
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
Geographic Range
New Brunswick to Georgia, west to Oklahoma and Colorado, north to Saskatchewan
Seasonal Activity
adults fly from July to September
Diet and Behavior
Diet: larvae feed on sod grasses
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Apamea helva. 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 Yellow Three-Spot - Hodges#9373 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Maury Heiman , marcie oconnor , Steve Morris
Frequently Asked Questions About Yellow Three-Spot - Hodges#9373
What is Yellow Three-Spot - Hodges#9373?
Yellow Three-Spot - Hodges#9373 (Apamea helva) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Yellow Three-Spot - Hodges#9373?
wingspan 35-41 mm
How do you identify Yellow Three-Spot - Hodges#9373?
Adult: forewing dull orangish-yellow with broken gray lines and three gray patches: at costa above reniform spot, in lower half of reniform spot, and near apex; subterminal line broken near costa (a distinctive feature); hindwing grayish-brown with dark dots along orangish-yellow outer margin [adapted from description by Charles Covell]
Where is Yellow Three-Spot - Hodges#9373 found?
Range: New Brunswick to Georgia, west to Oklahoma and Colorado, north to Saskatchewan
What does Yellow Three-Spot - Hodges#9373 eat?
The diet of the Yellow Three-Spot - Hodges#9373 includes larvae feed on sod grasses.
When is Yellow Three-Spot - Hodges#9373 active?
Yellow Three-Spot - Hodges#9373: seasonal activity - adults fly from July to September.