Hedgenettle Plume Moth - Hodges#6094
Capperia ningoris
This record describes Capperia ningoris (species). Recorded family: Pterophoridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
See the identification key for Oxyptilini . See the identification section for Capperia . See the species accounts in Barnes & Lindsey as Pterophorus ningoris and Walsingham as Oxyptilus ningoris . Adult - brown with a dull purplish sheen, more strongly banded than Geina tenuidactyla .
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pterophoroidea
- Family
- Pterophoridae (Plume Moths)
- Subfamily
- Pterophorinae
- Tribe
- Oxyptilini
- Genus
- Capperia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Washington to southern California.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Adults found in association and larvae have been reared on nettles ( Stachys ).
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Specific epithet is from Latin ningor meaning "snowfall" perhaps for the various white spots and the "dusting of white scales" on the forewings.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Capperia ningoris. 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.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hedgenettle Plume Moth - Hodges#6094
What is Hedgenettle Plume Moth - Hodges#6094?
Hedgenettle Plume Moth - Hodges#6094 (Capperia ningoris) is a species in the family Pterophoridae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Hedgenettle Plume Moth - Hodges#6094?
Forewing length 7.5-10 mm.
How do you identify Hedgenettle Plume Moth - Hodges#6094?
See the identification key for Oxyptilini . See the identification section for Capperia . See the species accounts in Barnes & Lindsey as Pterophorus ningoris and Walsingham as Oxyptilus ningoris . Adult - brown with a dull purplish sheen, more strongly banded than Geina tenuidactyla .
Where is Hedgenettle Plume Moth - Hodges#6094 found?
Range: Washington to southern California.
What does Hedgenettle Plume Moth - Hodges#6094 eat?
The diet of the Hedgenettle Plume Moth - Hodges#6094 includes Adults found in association and larvae have been reared on nettles ( Stachys )..