Common Arugisa - Hodges#8509
Arugisa lutea
This record describes Arugisa lutea (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult : FW light brownish-yellow with irregular, dark brown/gray traverse lines ● labial palps are thick, projecting upward at a steep angle ● dark blotch over middle of AM line ● reniform and orbicular spots represented by black dots ● PM line overlaid with black dots or sometimes broken into separate black dots ● dark shading along inside edge of subterminal line ● HW brownish-gray with thin dark terminal line Arugisa lutea (Smith, 1900) is now the valid name for the common, golden-colored species, formerly known as A. latiorella .
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Erebidae
- Subfamily
- Scolecocampinae
- Genus
- Arugisa
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Maryland and Virginia to Florida, west to Texas and Missouri. ( 3 ) , ( 4 )
Seasonal Activity
adults fly from May to October - or all year except December in Florida
Diet and Behavior
Diet: larvae feed on living and dead grasses
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Arugisa lutea. 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 Common Arugisa - Hodges#8509 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Maury Heiman , Robert Lord Zimlich , Randy Hardy , Ken Childs , Steve Morris
Frequently Asked Questions About Common Arugisa - Hodges#8509
What is Common Arugisa - Hodges#8509?
Common Arugisa - Hodges#8509 (Arugisa lutea) is a species in the family Erebidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Common Arugisa - Hodges#8509?
wingspan about 17 mm, based on photo by Jim Vargo at MPG
How do you identify Common Arugisa - Hodges#8509?
Adult : FW light brownish-yellow with irregular, dark brown/gray traverse lines ● labial palps are thick, projecting upward at a steep angle ● dark blotch over middle of AM line ● reniform and orbicular spots represented by black dots ● PM line overlaid with black dots or sometimes broken into separate black dots ● dark shading along inside edge of subterminal line ● HW brownish-gray with thin dark terminal line
Where is Common Arugisa - Hodges#8509 found?
Range: Maryland and Virginia to Florida, west to Texas and Missouri. ( 3 ) , ( 4 )
What does Common Arugisa - Hodges#8509 eat?
The diet of the Common Arugisa - Hodges#8509 includes larvae feed on living and dead grasses.
When is Common Arugisa - Hodges#8509 active?
Common Arugisa - Hodges#8509: seasonal activity - adults fly from May to October - or all year except December in Florida.