Aristotelia amelanchierella - Hodges#1728
Aristotelia amelanchierella
This record describes Aristotelia amelanchierella (species). Recorded family: Gelechiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult : Head brown, pinkish on the face. FW ground color whitish, densely dusted with fuscous. Apical fourth and below the fold, suffused with pink. Markings nearly as in roseosuffusella , with a dark brown oblique acute triangle from near base of costa projects its apex below fold, and an oblique dark brown bar from basal third of costa to fold sends from its lower outer corner a narrow arm outward and upward, which often joins the middle of the inner side of a half-elliptical brown patch at two-thirds of costa. From the lower side of each of these three dark marks, a brownish ocherous often undusted shade continues in the same direction to the dorsum. Third brown patch is separated from a fourth brown patch before apex by a pink costal patch, below which is an indistinct short longitudinal black line in the middle of the wing. Apical third of wing, except for the fourth brown patch, strongly suffused with pink and shaded with brownish ocherous just beyond tornus. Legs brown, with pink traverse bars.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Gelechioidea
- Family
- Gelechiidae (Twirler Moths)
- Subfamily
- Anomologinae
- Genus
- Aristotelia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Braun reported the larvae on Saskatoon serviceberry ( Amelanchier alnifolia ) where they spin thin webs on the upper surface of leaves.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Specific epithet for the host plant genus.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Aristotelia amelanchierella. 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 Aristotelia amelanchierella - Hodges#1728 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by John Davis; Additional contributions by Robert Lord Zimlich , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Aristotelia amelanchierella - Hodges#1728
What is Aristotelia amelanchierella - Hodges#1728?
Aristotelia amelanchierella - Hodges#1728 (Aristotelia amelanchierella) is a species in the family Gelechiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Aristotelia amelanchierella - Hodges#1728?
Wingspan: 10-11 mm.
How do you identify Aristotelia amelanchierella - Hodges#1728?
Adult : Head brown, pinkish on the face. FW ground color whitish, densely dusted with fuscous. Apical fourth and below the fold, suffused with pink. Markings nearly as in roseosuffusella , with a dark brown oblique acute triangle from near base of costa projects its apex below fold, and an oblique dark brown bar from basal third of costa to fold sends from its lower outer corner a narrow arm outward and upward, which often joins the middle of the inner side of a half-elliptical brown patch at two-thirds of costa. From the lower side of each of these three dark marks, a brownish ocherous often undusted shade continues in the same direction to the dorsum. Third brown patch is separated from a fourth brown patch before apex by a pink costal patch, below which is an indistinct short longitudinal black line in the middle of the wing. Apical third of wing, except for the fourth brown patch, strongly suffused with pink and shaded with brownish ocherous just beyond tornus. Legs brown, with pink traverse bars.
What does Aristotelia amelanchierella - Hodges#1728 eat?
The diet of the Aristotelia amelanchierella - Hodges#1728 includes Braun reported the larvae on Saskatoon serviceberry ( Amelanchier alnifolia ) where they spin thin webs on the upper surface of leaves..