Apamea maxima - Hodges#9337
Apamea maxima
This record describes Apamea maxima (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult: forewing light brown to orangish with conspicuous black outlines of reniform, orbicular, and claviform spots; claviform spot long and pointed, reaching to PM line; black basal dash, and several dark slender V-shaped markings along outer margin; hindwing pale brown with dark veins and diffuse gray shading
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
California to British Columbia; type specimen collected in Eureka, California
Seasonal Activity
adults fly in June and July
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Apamea maxima. 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 maxima - Hodges#9337 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod
Frequently Asked Questions About Apamea maxima - Hodges#9337
What is Apamea maxima - Hodges#9337?
Apamea maxima - Hodges#9337 (Apamea maxima) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Apamea maxima - Hodges#9337?
Adult: forewing light brown to orangish with conspicuous black outlines of reniform, orbicular, and claviform spots; claviform spot long and pointed, reaching to PM line; black basal dash, and several dark slender V-shaped markings along outer margin; hindwing pale brown with dark veins and diffuse gray shading
Where is Apamea maxima - Hodges#9337 found?
Range: California to British Columbia; type specimen collected in Eureka, California
When is Apamea maxima - Hodges#9337 active?
Apamea maxima - Hodges#9337: seasonal activity - adults fly in June and July.