Borkhausenia nefrax - Hodges#1061
Borkhausenia nefrax
This record describes Borkhausenia nefrax (species). Recorded family: Oecophoridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult - long hairs on the antennal flagellum. Genitalia: Possibly an introduced species with a long, complicated history. First identified in California in 1952 as Borkhausenia near minutella (Linnaeus) and later identified as B. fuscescens (Haworth). Soon after Hodges described it as a new species it was found in France.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Gelechioidea
- Family
- Oecophoridae (Concealer Moths)
- Subfamily
- Oecophorinae
- Tribe
- Oecophorini
- Genus
- Borkhausenia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Powell & Opler report that in California it is a strictly urban species, often found in homes. Hodges found them in native habitats in Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado.
Geographic Range
Known from California, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae are detritivores or fungivores.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Borkhausenia nefrax. 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 Borkhausenia nefrax - Hodges#1061 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Charley Eiseman; Additional contributions by Randy Hardy , Robert H. Biagi
Frequently Asked Questions About Borkhausenia nefrax - Hodges#1061
What is Borkhausenia nefrax - Hodges#1061?
Borkhausenia nefrax - Hodges#1061 (Borkhausenia nefrax) is a species in the family Oecophoridae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Borkhausenia nefrax - Hodges#1061?
Forewing length 4.5-4.8 mm.
How do you identify Borkhausenia nefrax - Hodges#1061?
Adult - long hairs on the antennal flagellum. Genitalia:
Where is Borkhausenia nefrax - Hodges#1061 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Powell & Opler report that in California it is a strictly urban species, often found in homes. Hodges found them in native habitats in Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado. |
| Range | Known from California, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado. |
What does Borkhausenia nefrax - Hodges#1061 eat?
The diet of the Borkhausenia nefrax - Hodges#1061 includes Larvae are detritivores or fungivores..