Argyractis drumalis - Hodges#4770
Argyractis drumalis
This record describes Argyractis drumalis (species). Recorded family: Crambidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pyraloidea
- Family
- Crambidae (Crambid Snout Moths)
- Subfamily
- Acentropinae
- Tribe
- Argyractini
- Genus
- Argyractis
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Florida. , , Moth Photographers Group has a record submitted by Bob Patterson from Maryland. (accidental import or error?) Moth Photographers Group - large map with some distribution data.
Seasonal Activity
February, May to November.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Aquatic larvae feed on the roots of water lettuce ( Pistia stratiotes ) and species of waterlily ( Nymphaea ) ( 4 )
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Named for the type location of Fort Drum, Florida. Argyractis drumalis (Dyar, 1906) was formerly in the genus Petrophila (Habeck D.H. & M.A. Solis, 1994).
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Argyractis drumalis. 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 Argyractis drumalis - Hodges#4770 (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by Kyhl Austin; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Jeff Hollenbeck , Maury Heiman , Chuck Sexton , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Argyractis drumalis - Hodges#4770
How big is Argyractis drumalis - Hodges#4770?
Forewing length less than 5 mm.
Where is Argyractis drumalis - Hodges#4770 found?
Range: Florida. , , Moth Photographers Group has a record submitted by Bob Patterson from Maryland. (accidental import or error?) Moth Photographers Group - large map with some distribution data.
What does Argyractis drumalis - Hodges#4770 eat?
The diet of the Argyractis drumalis - Hodges#4770 includes Aquatic larvae feed on the roots of water lettuce ( Pistia stratiotes ) and species of waterlily ( Nymphaea ) ( 4 ).
When is Argyractis drumalis - Hodges#4770 active?
Argyractis drumalis - Hodges#4770: seasonal activity - February, May to November..