White Y Mark - Hodges#8921
Autographa v-alba
This record describes Autographa v-alba (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Forewings are iridescent pale violet grey and dark slate grey. The stigma is a small, silvery white v shape.
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
Geographic Range
Utah to Washington and British Columbia.
Seasonal Activity
The main flight period is July to September.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larval host is unknown but most likely feeds on several herbaceous plants as other Autographa species.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Autographa v-alba. 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 White Y Mark - Hodges#8921 (3)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About White Y Mark - Hodges#8921
What is White Y Mark - Hodges#8921?
White Y Mark - Hodges#8921 (Autographa v-alba) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is White Y Mark - Hodges#8921?
Wingspan 38-40 mm.
How do you identify White Y Mark - Hodges#8921?
Forewings are iridescent pale violet grey and dark slate grey. The stigma is a small, silvery white v shape.
Where is White Y Mark - Hodges#8921 found?
Range: Utah to Washington and British Columbia.
What does White Y Mark - Hodges#8921 eat?
The diet of the White Y Mark - Hodges#8921 includes Larval host is unknown but most likely feeds on several herbaceous plants as other Autographa species..
When is White Y Mark - Hodges#8921 active?
White Y Mark - Hodges#8921: seasonal activity - The main flight period is July to September..