Argyresthia goedartella
This record describes Argyresthia goedartella (species). Recorded family: Argyresthiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
The typical form with white forewing crossed in the middle by a 'Y' shaped golden-brassy fascia is easily identified Open woodland, heathland, gardens and freshwater margins Flying at night and on sunny afternoons from June to August Larva mines young shoots and catkins of Silver and Downy Birch and Alder. Common throughout the British Isles, except Shetland. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
Wikipedia reference for Argyresthia goedartella: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argyresthia goedartella.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Yponomeutoidea
- Family
- Argyresthiidae (Shiny Headstand Moths)
- Subfamily
- Argyresthiinae
- Genus
- Argyresthia (Argents)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Open woodland, heathland, gardens and freshwater margins
Seasonal Activity
Flying at night and on sunny afternoons from June to August
Diet and Behavior
Life History
Larva mines young shoots and catkins of Silver and Downy Birch and Alder.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Common throughout the British Isles, except Shetland. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Argyresthia goedartella. 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 Argyresthia goedartella (7)
Frequently Asked Questions About Argyresthia goedartella
What is Argyresthia goedartella?
Argyresthia goedartella is a species in the family Argyresthiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Argyresthia goedartella found?
Habitat: Open woodland, heathland, gardens and freshwater margins
When is Argyresthia goedartella active?
Argyresthia goedartella: seasonal activity - Flying at night and on sunny afternoons from June to August.
What is the life cycle of a Argyresthia goedartella?
Larva mines young shoots and catkins of Silver and Downy Birch and Alder.