Bulia deducta - Hodges#8614
Bulia deducta
This record describes Bulia deducta (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Pogue & Laughlin state that Bulia deducta and similaris are indistinguishable and can only be separated by genitalia and by geographic distribution in areas where their ranges do not overlap. Powell & Opler described the larva having head brown and black, body grey with blackish stripes. Genitalia:
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Erebidae
- Subfamily
- Erebinae
- Tribe
- Melipotini
- Genus
- Bulia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Resident throughout the southwestern states from California ( 4 ) and Nevada, east to Missouri and Mississippi, south into Mexico; it is a migrant in northwestern United States, and rarely Canada, with single or very few records from each of the 4 western provinces; also recorded from Florida ( 5 ) , probably as a migrant, as the host plant (mesquite) doesn't occur in Florida. Pogue & Laughlin (2002) have range maps in PDF.
Seasonal Activity
Adults fly from March to October in the southwest; most numerous in July and August.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae feed on mesquites ( Prosopis ) (Pogue & Laughlin, 2002). ( 6 )
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Bulia deducta. 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 Bulia deducta - Hodges#8614 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Maury Heiman , Randy Hardy , Robert H. Biagi
Frequently Asked Questions About Bulia deducta - Hodges#8614
What is Bulia deducta - Hodges#8614?
Bulia deducta - Hodges#8614 (Bulia deducta) is a species in the family Erebidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Bulia deducta - Hodges#8614?
Powell & Opler listed the forewing length 14-17 mm. Wingspan 3.4-3.8 cm. Crumb reported the larvae mature to 24 mm.
How do you identify Bulia deducta - Hodges#8614?
Pogue & Laughlin state that Bulia deducta and similaris are indistinguishable and can only be separated by genitalia and by geographic distribution in areas where their ranges do not overlap. Powell & Opler described the larva having head brown and black, body grey with blackish stripes. Genitalia:
Where is Bulia deducta - Hodges#8614 found?
Range: Resident throughout the southwestern states from California ( 4 ) and Nevada, east to Missouri and Mississippi, south into Mexico; it is a migrant in northwestern United States, and rarely Canada, with single or very few records from each of the 4 western provinces; also recorded from Florida ( 5 ) , probably as a migrant, as the host plant (mesquite) doesn't occur in Florida. Pogue & Laughlin (2002) have range maps in PDF.
What does Bulia deducta - Hodges#8614 eat?
The diet of the Bulia deducta - Hodges#8614 includes Larvae feed on mesquites ( Prosopis ) (Pogue & Laughlin, 2002). ( 6 ).
When is Bulia deducta - Hodges#8614 active?
Bulia deducta - Hodges#8614: seasonal activity - Adults fly from March to October in the southwest; most numerous in July and August..