Coronopus Borer Moth - Hodges#2602
Carmenta mimuli
This record describes Carmenta mimuli (species). Recorded family: Sesiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult - forewings largely transparent with wide, black distal margin powdered in orange. Has orange discal spot. Females with yellow-orange labial palpi and generally more orange on the forewings. The dark form is the typical form of Carmenta mimuli found in Arizona. This species flies from late April to November in southeastern Arizona. The whitish form is non-typical. The larvae feed on perennial solanaceous plants found within the southwest United States from Kansas to Arizona. They were uncommon to rare in museum collections until the clearwing moth pheromones became commercially available (William H. Taft, 11 January, 2009). Adults often collected using Z,Z-ODDA pheromone baits (Meyer & Cranshaw, 1994).
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
North Dakota and Montana south through the Rockies and on to southern Mexico.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Adults observed in association with greenleaf five eyes ( Chamaesaracha coronopus , Solanaceae) but this has not been confirmed as the larval host.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Mimuli presumably from Greek mim , meaning "mimic." Like most Sesiidae this species closely resembles a wasp. Common name Coronopus Borer Moth from suspected host plant ( Chamaesaracha coronopus ).
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Carmenta mimuli. 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 Coronopus Borer Moth - Hodges#2602 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by john and jane balaban; Additional contributions by Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Coronopus Borer Moth - Hodges#2602
What is Coronopus Borer Moth - Hodges#2602?
Coronopus Borer Moth - Hodges#2602 (Carmenta mimuli) is a species in the family Sesiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Coronopus Borer Moth - Hodges#2602?
Forewing length 8-11 mm.
How do you identify Coronopus Borer Moth - Hodges#2602?
Adult - forewings largely transparent with wide, black distal margin powdered in orange. Has orange discal spot. Females with yellow-orange labial palpi and generally more orange on the forewings.
Where is Coronopus Borer Moth - Hodges#2602 found?
Range: North Dakota and Montana south through the Rockies and on to southern Mexico.
What does Coronopus Borer Moth - Hodges#2602 eat?
The diet of the Coronopus Borer Moth - Hodges#2602 includes Adults observed in association with greenleaf five eyes ( Chamaesaracha coronopus , Solanaceae) but this has not been confirmed as the larval host..