Wavy Chestnut Y - Hodges#8912
Autographa mappa
This record describes Autographa mappa (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adults - forewing chestnut brown with numerous wavy bands and lines of darker brown and black in very distinctive pattern; scattered silver gold metallic scales in lower parts of AM and PM lines, as well as along basal line and outlining parts of reniform and orbicular spots; stigma prominent, two-part, white or gold, in center of wing, the basal segment an open u-shape, and the distal part an infilled oval or spot; hindwing brownish-gray in outer half, paler in basal half, with checkered fringe and whitish median band; antennae simple and similar in both the sexes (adapted from description at E.H. Strickland Museum ( 3 ) ).
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
- Subfamily
- Plusiinae
- Tribe
- Plusiini
- Genus
- Autographa
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Open woodlands, clearings and edges, bogs and fens; adults are nocturnal and come to light ( 3 )
Geographic Range
Newfoundland to British Columbia, south in the east to Massachusetts and Wisconsin, south in the west to Oregon and Colorado.
Seasonal Activity
Adults fly from June to August in Alberta. ( 3 )
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae feed on nettle ( Urtica spp.) ( 5 ) , buckthorn ( Frangula spp. = Cascara ) (Prentice, 1962) and blueberry ( Vaccinium spp.).
Life History
One generation per year. ( 3 )
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Autographa mappa. 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 Wavy Chestnut Y - Hodges#8912 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Lynette Elliott; Additional contributions by Robin McLeod , Maury Heiman , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Wavy Chestnut Y - Hodges#8912
What is Wavy Chestnut Y - Hodges#8912?
Wavy Chestnut Y - Hodges#8912 (Autographa mappa) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Wavy Chestnut Y - Hodges#8912?
Wingspan 3-4 cm. ( 3 ) Powell & Opler (2009) listed the forewing length 1.5-1.7 cm. ( 4 )
How do you identify Wavy Chestnut Y - Hodges#8912?
Adults - forewing chestnut brown with numerous wavy bands and lines of darker brown and black in very distinctive pattern; scattered silver gold metallic scales in lower parts of AM and PM lines, as well as along basal line and outlining parts of reniform and orbicular spots; stigma prominent, two-part, white or gold, in center of wing, the basal segment an open u-shape, and the distal part an infilled oval or spot; hindwing brownish-gray in outer half, paler in basal half, with checkered fringe and whitish median band; antennae simple and similar in both the sexes (adapted from description at E.H. Strickland Museum ( 3 ) ).
Where is Wavy Chestnut Y - Hodges#8912 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Open woodlands, clearings and edges, bogs and fens; adults are nocturnal and come to light ( 3 ) |
| Range | Newfoundland to British Columbia, south in the east to Massachusetts and Wisconsin, south in the west to Oregon and Colorado. |
What does Wavy Chestnut Y - Hodges#8912 eat?
The diet of the Wavy Chestnut Y - Hodges#8912 includes Larvae feed on nettle ( Urtica spp.) ( 5 ) , buckthorn ( Frangula spp. = Cascara ) (Prentice, 1962) and blueberry ( Vaccinium spp.)..
When is Wavy Chestnut Y - Hodges#8912 active?
Wavy Chestnut Y - Hodges#8912: seasonal activity - Adults fly from June to August in Alberta. ( 3 ).
What is the life cycle of a Wavy Chestnut Y - Hodges#8912?
One generation per year. ( 3 )