Argyrotaenia coloradana - Hodges#3608
Argyrotaenia coloradana
This record describes Argyrotaenia coloradana (species). Recorded family: Tortricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Tortricoidea
- Family
- Tortricidae (Tortricid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Tortricinae
- Tribe
- Archipini
- Genus
- Argyrotaenia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Rocky Mountain states and the southwestern states to western Arizona. Type locality: Colorado.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Dyar recorded them on pasqueflower ( Pulsatilla ) in Colorado. Powell & Opler reared them on a synthetic diet suggesting they are polyphagous.
Life History
May overwinter as larva.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Specific epithet for the type location (Colorado).
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Argyrotaenia coloradana. 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 Argyrotaenia coloradana - Hodges#3608 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Jason J. Dombroskie; Additional contributions by Maury Heiman , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Argyrotaenia coloradana - Hodges#3608
How big is Argyrotaenia coloradana - Hodges#3608?
Forewing length 8.5-11 mm.
Where is Argyrotaenia coloradana - Hodges#3608 found?
Range: Rocky Mountain states and the southwestern states to western Arizona. Type locality: Colorado.
What does Argyrotaenia coloradana - Hodges#3608 eat?
The diet of the Argyrotaenia coloradana - Hodges#3608 includes Dyar recorded them on pasqueflower ( Pulsatilla ) in Colorado. Powell & Opler reared them on a synthetic diet suggesting they are polyphagous..
What is the life cycle of a Argyrotaenia coloradana - Hodges#3608?
May overwinter as larva.