Argyria nummulalis - Hodges#5460
Argyria nummulalis
This record describes Argyria nummulalis (species). Recorded family: Crambidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Bob Patterson notes from Richard Brown at Mississippi Entomological Museum. We have been calling these A. rufisignella in error, just pointed out to me by Richard Brown at Miss. Entomol. Museum. A rufisignella lacks the substantial brown edge along the inner margin. It has a few fine striations along the costa near the apex (clearing lacking in this photo). It is also quite uncommon to rare.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pyraloidea
- Family
- Crambidae (Crambid Snout Moths)
- Subfamily
- Crambinae
- Tribe
- Argyriini
- Genus
- Argyria
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Heppner reported the range to include Pennsylvania to Florida, Illinois to Texas.
Seasonal Activity
The main flight period is May to September. Heppner reported adults year round in Florida.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Heppner (2003) reported the host is grass species (Gramineae).
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Argyria nummulalis. 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 Argyria nummulalis - Hodges#5460 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by Joshua Stuart Rose
Frequently Asked Questions About Argyria nummulalis - Hodges#5460
What is Argyria nummulalis - Hodges#5460?
Argyria nummulalis - Hodges#5460 (Argyria nummulalis) is a species in the family Crambidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Argyria nummulalis - Hodges#5460?
Bob Patterson notes from Richard Brown at Mississippi Entomological Museum. We have been calling these A. rufisignella in error, just pointed out to me by Richard Brown at Miss. Entomol. Museum. A rufisignella lacks the substantial brown edge along the inner margin. It has a few fine striations along the costa near the apex (clearing lacking in this photo). It is also quite uncommon to rare.
Where is Argyria nummulalis - Hodges#5460 found?
Range: Heppner reported the range to include Pennsylvania to Florida, Illinois to Texas.
What does Argyria nummulalis - Hodges#5460 eat?
The diet of the Argyria nummulalis - Hodges#5460 includes Heppner (2003) reported the host is grass species (Gramineae)..
When is Argyria nummulalis - Hodges#5460 active?
Argyria nummulalis - Hodges#5460: seasonal activity - The main flight period is May to September. Heppner reported adults year round in Florida..