Wavy Lined Mallow Moth - Hodges#9168
Bagisara repanda
This record describes Bagisara repanda (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult: forewing shows darkening at the reniform spot and also some dark shading of the three lines; outer margin slightly angulate (not smoothly rounded); male foretibia and forefemur with large dense black-tipped scale tufts
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
- Subfamily
- Bagisarinae
- Genus
- Bagisara
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Southern United States from South Carolina to Florida, west to Texas, south to Argentina. ,
Seasonal Activity
in Lousiana, most adults are found from late August to November, with peak numbers in September; flies all year in the tropics and perhaps in Florida
Diet and Behavior
Diet: larvae feed on Sida spp. and possibly other plants in the mallow family (Malvaceae)
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: REPANDA: from the Latin "re" (back) + "pandis" (bent); repand means "having an uneven, slightly wavy margin" [Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1983] - probably refers to the lines on the forewing, and is the origin of the suggested common name above
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Bagisara repanda. 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 Lined Mallow Moth - Hodges#9168 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Jeff Hollenbeck; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Robin McLeod , Maury Heiman
Frequently Asked Questions About Wavy Lined Mallow Moth - Hodges#9168
What is Wavy Lined Mallow Moth - Hodges#9168?
Wavy Lined Mallow Moth - Hodges#9168 (Bagisara repanda) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Wavy Lined Mallow Moth - Hodges#9168?
wing length 10-12 mm
How do you identify Wavy Lined Mallow Moth - Hodges#9168?
Adult: forewing shows darkening at the reniform spot and also some dark shading of the three lines; outer margin slightly angulate (not smoothly rounded); male foretibia and forefemur with large dense black-tipped scale tufts
Where is Wavy Lined Mallow Moth - Hodges#9168 found?
Range: Southern United States from South Carolina to Florida, west to Texas, south to Argentina. ,
What does Wavy Lined Mallow Moth - Hodges#9168 eat?
The diet of the Wavy Lined Mallow Moth - Hodges#9168 includes larvae feed on Sida spp. and possibly other plants in the mallow family (Malvaceae).
When is Wavy Lined Mallow Moth - Hodges#9168 active?
Wavy Lined Mallow Moth - Hodges#9168: seasonal activity - in Lousiana, most adults are found from late August to November, with peak numbers in September; flies all year in the tropics and perhaps in Florida.