Apamea scoparia - Hodges#9365
Apamea scoparia
This record describes Apamea scoparia (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult: forewing dull reddish-brown; upper half of reniform spot filled with ground color, lower half dark gray to blackish, and distal edge with pale scales, including two converging small whitish ovals in lower corner of reniform spot; PM line faint, dark, toothed; subterminal line indistinct, pale, irregular; dark scaling along veins; hindwing dirty gray, darker toward outer margin, with dark veins and diffuse discal lunule; fringe dull yellow genitalia:
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
Newfoundland to British Columbia and adjacent northern states, north to Northwest Territories, Yukon, and perhaps Alaska, south in the west to California and Utah
Seasonal Activity
adults fly from June to September in Alberta
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Apamea scoparia. 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 scoparia - Hodges#9365 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Tony-2 , Maury Heiman , marcie oconnor , Steve Morris
Frequently Asked Questions About Apamea scoparia - Hodges#9365
What is Apamea scoparia - Hodges#9365?
Apamea scoparia - Hodges#9365 (Apamea scoparia) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Apamea scoparia - Hodges#9365?
wingspan about 43 mm, based on photo by Jim Vargo at MPG
How do you identify Apamea scoparia - Hodges#9365?
Adult: forewing dull reddish-brown; upper half of reniform spot filled with ground color, lower half dark gray to blackish, and distal edge with pale scales, including two converging small whitish ovals in lower corner of reniform spot; PM line faint, dark, toothed; subterminal line indistinct, pale, irregular; dark scaling along veins; hindwing dirty gray, darker toward outer margin, with dark veins and diffuse discal lunule; fringe dull yellow genitalia:
Where is Apamea scoparia - Hodges#9365 found?
Range: Newfoundland to British Columbia and adjacent northern states, north to Northwest Territories, Yukon, and perhaps Alaska, south in the west to California and Utah
When is Apamea scoparia - Hodges#9365 active?
Apamea scoparia - Hodges#9365: seasonal activity - adults fly from June to September in Alberta.