Bean-leaf Skeletonizer Moth - Hodges#8891
Autoplusia egena
This record describes Autoplusia egena (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Ground light brown, dark reddish-brown with coppery iridescence between AM & PM ● Coppery iridescent patch below PM, both extending to apex ● Orbicular spot, ovate and reniform oblong, faint ● ST black, bidentate ● HW dull fuscous, lighter basally.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
- Subfamily
- Plusiinae
- Tribe
- Plusiini
- Genus
- Autoplusia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
This tropical, non-diapausing species occurrs in North America, where the climate is appropriate for continuing generations. In warm seasons it migrates into the California Central Valley, producing several generations before colder weather arrives.
Geographic Range
Florida, New Mexico, California, possibily Texas and Arizona (unconfirmed), and south to tropics
Seasonal Activity
Multivoltine, with adults flying all year
Diet and Behavior
Diet: This polyphagous species can find suitable host plants at different times of the year, including hollyhock, celery, carrot, larkspur, soybean, mallows, marigold, spearmint, groundsel and verbena.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Autoplusia egena. 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 Bean-leaf Skeletonizer Moth - Hodges#8891 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robert Lord Zimlich; Additional contributions by Nathaniel Green
Frequently Asked Questions About Bean-leaf Skeletonizer Moth - Hodges#8891
What is Bean-leaf Skeletonizer Moth - Hodges#8891?
Bean-leaf Skeletonizer Moth - Hodges#8891 (Autoplusia egena) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Bean-leaf Skeletonizer Moth - Hodges#8891?
FWL ≈17-20 mm
How do you identify Bean-leaf Skeletonizer Moth - Hodges#8891?
Ground light brown, dark reddish-brown with coppery iridescence between AM & PM ● Coppery iridescent patch below PM, both extending to apex ● Orbicular spot, ovate and reniform oblong, faint ● ST black, bidentate ● HW dull fuscous, lighter basally.
Where is Bean-leaf Skeletonizer Moth - Hodges#8891 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | This tropical, non-diapausing species occurrs in North America, where the climate is appropriate for continuing generations. In warm seasons it migrates into the California Central Valley, producing several generations before colder weather arrives. |
| Range | Florida, New Mexico, California, possibily Texas and Arizona (unconfirmed), and south to tropics |
What does Bean-leaf Skeletonizer Moth - Hodges#8891 eat?
The diet of the Bean-leaf Skeletonizer Moth - Hodges#8891 includes This polyphagous species can find suitable host plants at different times of the year, including hollyhock, celery, carrot, larkspur, soybean, mallows, marigold, spearmint, groundsel and verbena..
When is Bean-leaf Skeletonizer Moth - Hodges#8891 active?
Bean-leaf Skeletonizer Moth - Hodges#8891: seasonal activity - Multivoltine, with adults flying all year.