Apantesis obliterata - Hodges#8174
Apantesis obliterata
This record describes Apantesis obliterata (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Similar to several other Apantesis species with black and white forewings and orange and black hindwings, however it can usually be distinguished by white scaling along the cubital vein distal to the W-shaped ST white line.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Erebidae
- Subfamily
- Arctiinae
- Tribe
- Arctiini
- Genus
- Apantesis
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Most common in Canadian prairie provinces; ranges north to Alaska, Yukon Territory and Northwest Territory; ranges south to NW Colorado and possibly the Texas Panhandle.
Seasonal Activity
late summer to early fall
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Apantesis obliterata. 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 Apantesis obliterata - Hodges#8174 (3)
Photo credits: Contributed by Steve Morris
Frequently Asked Questions About Apantesis obliterata - Hodges#8174
What is Apantesis obliterata - Hodges#8174?
Apantesis obliterata - Hodges#8174 (Apantesis obliterata) is a species in the family Erebidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Apantesis obliterata - Hodges#8174?
Similar to several other Apantesis species with black and white forewings and orange and black hindwings, however it can usually be distinguished by white scaling along the cubital vein distal to the W-shaped ST white line.
Where is Apantesis obliterata - Hodges#8174 found?
Range: Most common in Canadian prairie provinces; ranges north to Alaska, Yukon Territory and Northwest Territory; ranges south to NW Colorado and possibly the Texas Panhandle.
When is Apantesis obliterata - Hodges#8174 active?
Apantesis obliterata - Hodges#8174: seasonal activity - late summer to early fall.