LepidopteraTortricidae – Tortricid Moths

Southern Ugly-nest Caterpillar Moth - Hodges#3662

Archips rileyana

This record describes Archips rileyana (species). Recorded family: Tortricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.

Identification and Appearance

Southern Ugly-nest Caterpillar Moth - Hodges#3662 - Archips rileyana
Contributed by Graham Montgomery; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Mike Quinn , Nick Block , Randy Hardy

Adult - spots variable, see MPG . - fairly typical form

Classification

Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily
Tortricoidea
Family
Tortricidae (Tortricid Moths)
Subfamily
Tortricinae
Tribe
Archipini
Genus
Archips

Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.

Habitat and Range

Geographic Range

Mississippi Valley to central Texas.

Diet and Behavior

Diet: Larval hosts are buckeye ( Aesculus , Hippocastanaceae) and hickory ( Carya , Juglandaceae).

Additional species information

Species notes from the sources

Etymology: Patronym for famed entomologist Charles Valentine Riley (1843–1895).

About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group

Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Archips rileyana. 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.

Explore Lepidoptera families and species →

Photos of Southern Ugly-nest Caterpillar Moth - Hodges#3662 (5)

Southern Ugly-nest Caterpillar Moth - Hodges#3662 - photo 1
Contributed by Graham Montgomery; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Mike Quinn , Nick Block , Randy Hardy
Southern Ugly-nest Caterpillar Moth - Hodges#3662 - photo 2
Contributed by Graham Montgomery; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Mike Quinn , Nick Block , Randy Hardy
Southern Ugly-nest Caterpillar Moth - Hodges#3662 - photo 3
Contributed by Graham Montgomery; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Mike Quinn , Nick Block , Randy Hardy
Southern Ugly-nest Caterpillar Moth - Hodges#3662 - photo 4
Contributed by Graham Montgomery; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Mike Quinn , Nick Block , Randy Hardy
Southern Ugly-nest Caterpillar Moth - Hodges#3662 - photo 5
Contributed by Graham Montgomery; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Mike Quinn , Nick Block , Randy Hardy

Photo credits: Contributed by Graham Montgomery; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Mike Quinn , Nick Block , Randy Hardy

Frequently Asked Questions About Southern Ugly-nest Caterpillar Moth - Hodges#3662

What is Southern Ugly-nest Caterpillar Moth - Hodges#3662?

Southern Ugly-nest Caterpillar Moth - Hodges#3662 (Archips rileyana) is a species in the family Tortricidae, within the order Lepidoptera.

How big is Southern Ugly-nest Caterpillar Moth - Hodges#3662?

Wingspan 28 mm (Grote, 1868).

How do you identify Southern Ugly-nest Caterpillar Moth - Hodges#3662?

Adult - spots variable, see MPG . - fairly typical form

Where is Southern Ugly-nest Caterpillar Moth - Hodges#3662 found?

Range: Mississippi Valley to central Texas.

What does Southern Ugly-nest Caterpillar Moth - Hodges#3662 eat?

The diet of the Southern Ugly-nest Caterpillar Moth - Hodges#3662 includes Larval hosts are buckeye ( Aesculus , Hippocastanaceae) and hickory ( Carya , Juglandaceae)..

How we use and review source data. Source count does not imply independent verification.

Photo credits: Contributed by Graham Montgomery; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Mike Quinn , Nick Block , Randy Hardy. Contributors retain copyright over their individual contributions.