Straw Besma - Hodges#6884
Besma endropiaria
This record describes Besma endropiaria (species). Recorded family: Geometridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult: forewing pale whitish-yellow with faint (sometimes partial) AM and PM lines; fringe concolorous with wing; no discal spot on forewing or hindwing (see comments in See Also section below). Larva: body greenish-yellow with reddish highlights, mimicking leaf petioles and twigs of maple.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Geometroidea
- Family
- Geometridae (Geometrid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Ennominae
- Tribe
- Ourapterygini
- Genus
- Besma
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Nova Scotia to Saskatchewan and possibly Alberta, plus adjacent northern states, south in the east to Maryland and Iowa ( Besma quercivoraria is more widespread, ranging south to Florida and Arizona, and also occurs in Newfoundland and British Columbia).
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae feed on leaves of maple, alder, birch, and oak.
Life History
Overwinters as a pupa; one generation per year. See Rupert for rearing information and description of life stages.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Besma endropiaria. 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 Straw Besma - Hodges#6884 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Tony; Additional contributions by Robin McLeod , anitagould , marcie oconnor , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Straw Besma - Hodges#6884
What is Straw Besma - Hodges#6884?
Straw Besma - Hodges#6884 (Besma endropiaria) is a species in the family Geometridae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Straw Besma - Hodges#6884?
Wingspan about 30 mm
How do you identify Straw Besma - Hodges#6884?
Adult: forewing pale whitish-yellow with faint (sometimes partial) AM and PM lines; fringe concolorous with wing; no discal spot on forewing or hindwing (see comments in See Also section below). Larva: body greenish-yellow with reddish highlights, mimicking leaf petioles and twigs of maple.
Where is Straw Besma - Hodges#6884 found?
Range: Nova Scotia to Saskatchewan and possibly Alberta, plus adjacent northern states, south in the east to Maryland and Iowa ( Besma quercivoraria is more widespread, ranging south to Florida and Arizona, and also occurs in Newfoundland and British Columbia).
What does Straw Besma - Hodges#6884 eat?
The diet of the Straw Besma - Hodges#6884 includes Larvae feed on leaves of maple, alder, birch, and oak..
What is the life cycle of a Straw Besma - Hodges#6884?
Overwinters as a pupa; one generation per year. See Rupert for rearing information and description of life stages.