Carmenta engelhardti - Hodges#2598
Carmenta engelhardti
This record describes Carmenta engelhardti (species). Recorded family: Sesiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult - see Duckworth & Eichlin in Print References. This species resembles several other species in southern Arizona. I have collected this species on Brickellia foliage found along small creeks in the Patagonia and Huachuca Mountains in August. - William H. Taft, 8 July, 2008
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Cossoidea
- Family
- Sesiidae (Clearwing Moths)
- Subfamily
- Sesiinae
- Tribe
- Synanthedonini
- Genus
- Carmenta
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Southern Arizona and New Mexico, west Texas. , Type Location: Garden Canyon, Huachuca Mountains, Cochise County, Arizona.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: This moth is named for G.P. Engelhardt, the man who collected and described many clearwing moths in the 1920's and 1930"s (William H. Taft, 15 August, 2009).
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Carmenta engelhardti. 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 Carmenta engelhardti - Hodges#2598 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by john and jane balaban; Additional contributions by Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Carmenta engelhardti - Hodges#2598
What is Carmenta engelhardti - Hodges#2598?
Carmenta engelhardti - Hodges#2598 (Carmenta engelhardti) is a species in the family Sesiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Carmenta engelhardti - Hodges#2598?
Forewing length: ♂ 8-9 mm, ♀ 8 mm.
How do you identify Carmenta engelhardti - Hodges#2598?
Adult - see Duckworth & Eichlin in Print References.
Where is Carmenta engelhardti - Hodges#2598 found?
Range: Southern Arizona and New Mexico, west Texas. , Type Location: Garden Canyon, Huachuca Mountains, Cochise County, Arizona.