Spalding's Quaker - Hodges#9356
Apamea spaldingi
This record describes Apamea spaldingi (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
The original description as Hyppa spaldingi Smith is online at the link in the print references below. - Strong black basal dash and thick longitudinal median bar on the grey forewing. Specimen identified by DNA analysis (BOLD) ( 3 )
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
Grasslands.
Geographic Range
British Columbia to Saskatchewan, south to Colorado and California. ( 4 ) , ( 5 ) , ( 6 ) Moth Photographers Group - large map with some distribution data. Type locality: Stockton, UT (Spalding, VI,30)
Seasonal Activity
Adults fly April to August.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larval host is unknown but is likely short bunchgrasses (Poaceae).
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Named in honor of insect collector Thomas Utting Spalding (1866-1929) of Salt Lake City.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Apamea spaldingi. 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 Spalding's Quaker - Hodges#9356 (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Spalding's Quaker - Hodges#9356
What is Spalding's Quaker - Hodges#9356?
Spalding's Quaker - Hodges#9356 (Apamea spaldingi) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Spalding's Quaker - Hodges#9356?
Frorewing length 16-20 mm. (Smith), ,
How do you identify Spalding's Quaker - Hodges#9356?
The original description as Hyppa spaldingi Smith is online at the link in the print references below. - Strong black basal dash and thick longitudinal median bar on the grey forewing. Specimen identified by DNA analysis (BOLD) ( 3 )
Where is Spalding's Quaker - Hodges#9356 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Grasslands. |
| Range | British Columbia to Saskatchewan, south to Colorado and California. ( 4 ) , ( 5 ) , ( 6 ) Moth Photographers Group - large map with some distribution data. Type locality: Stockton, UT (Spalding, VI,30) |
What does Spalding's Quaker - Hodges#9356 eat?
The diet of the Spalding's Quaker - Hodges#9356 includes Larval host is unknown but is likely short bunchgrasses (Poaceae)..
When is Spalding's Quaker - Hodges#9356 active?
Spalding's Quaker - Hodges#9356: seasonal activity - Adults fly April to August..