Cahela Moth - Hodges#5977
Cahela ponderosella
This record describes Cahela ponderosella (species). Recorded family: Pyralidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult: forewing slender, brownish-gray with black longitudinal lines along veins; thickest line runs along cubital (main) vein from AM area to outer margin; another line below that runs from base to anal angle (partly obscured by diffuse blackish shadeline running alongside it); a third much shorter line runs from PM line to outer margin near costa; wing ground color in upper half (near costa) is more grayish, shading to brownish in lower half (near inner margin); hindwing white, much wider than forewing, with white fringe Type specimen collected in Riverside County, California.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pyraloidea
- Family
- Pyralidae (Pyralid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Phycitinae
- Tribe
- Phycitini
- Genus
- Cahela
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
dry scrubland with cactus
Geographic Range
California , and Utah to Colorado and New Mexico; Mexico,
Seasonal Activity
The main flight period is March to October.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: larvae feed on stems of cholla cactus ( Cylindropuntia spp.)
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Cahela ponderosella. 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 Cahela Moth - Hodges#5977 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Maury Heiman , Randy Hardy , Steve Morris
Frequently Asked Questions About Cahela Moth - Hodges#5977
What is Cahela Moth - Hodges#5977?
Cahela Moth - Hodges#5977 (Cahela ponderosella) is a species in the family Pyralidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Cahela Moth - Hodges#5977?
wingspan about 38 mm, based on photo by Jim Vargo at MPG
How do you identify Cahela Moth - Hodges#5977?
Adult: forewing slender, brownish-gray with black longitudinal lines along veins; thickest line runs along cubital (main) vein from AM area to outer margin; another line below that runs from base to anal angle (partly obscured by diffuse blackish shadeline running alongside it); a third much shorter line runs from PM line to outer margin near costa; wing ground color in upper half (near costa) is more grayish, shading to brownish in lower half (near inner margin); hindwing white, much wider than forewing, with white fringe
Where is Cahela Moth - Hodges#5977 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | dry scrubland with cactus |
| Range | California , and Utah to Colorado and New Mexico; Mexico |
What does Cahela Moth - Hodges#5977 eat?
The diet of the Cahela Moth - Hodges#5977 includes larvae feed on stems of cholla cactus ( Cylindropuntia spp.).
When is Cahela Moth - Hodges#5977 active?
Cahela Moth - Hodges#5977: seasonal activity - The main flight period is March to October..