Wood-colored Apamea - Hodges#9333
Apamea lignicolora
This record describes Apamea lignicolora (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult: forewing yellowish with reddish-brown shading; AM and PM lines obscure; PM line bends sharply; ST line forms a W at its middle, dividing black terminal shading into two large patches hindwing grayish-brown [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
Nova Scotia to North Carolina, west to California, north to British Columbia
Seasonal Activity
adults fly from late May or June to August
Diet and Behavior
Diet: larvae feed on quack grass and other grasses
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: LIGNICOLORA: from the Latin "lignum" (wood) + "color" (a covering [in the original sense], from celare to cover, hide)
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Apamea lignicolora. 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 Wood-colored Apamea - Hodges#9333 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by marcie oconnor , Steve Morris
Frequently Asked Questions About Wood-colored Apamea - Hodges#9333
What is Wood-colored Apamea - Hodges#9333?
Wood-colored Apamea - Hodges#9333 (Apamea lignicolora) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Wood-colored Apamea - Hodges#9333?
wingspan 45-50 mm
How do you identify Wood-colored Apamea - Hodges#9333?
Adult: forewing yellowish with reddish-brown shading; AM and PM lines obscure; PM line bends sharply; ST line forms a W at its middle, dividing black terminal shading into two large patches hindwing grayish-brown [description by Charles Covell]
Where is Wood-colored Apamea - Hodges#9333 found?
Range: Nova Scotia to North Carolina, west to California, north to British Columbia
What does Wood-colored Apamea - Hodges#9333 eat?
The diet of the Wood-colored Apamea - Hodges#9333 includes larvae feed on quack grass and other grasses.
When is Wood-colored Apamea - Hodges#9333 active?
Wood-colored Apamea - Hodges#9333: seasonal activity - adults fly from late May or June to August.