Texana Clearwing Moth - Hodges#2614
Carmenta texana
This record describes Carmenta texana (species). Recorded family: Sesiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
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
Along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts from Georgia to Texas.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae bore the crown roots and stems of various Asteraceae like sagebrush ( Artemisia ), fennel or thoroughwort ( Eupatorium ), ragweed ( Ambrosia ), squarestem ( Melanthera ), gumweed ( Grindelia ), and yellowtops ( Flaveria ); also sweet fennel ( Foeniculum vulgare , Apiaceae).
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Carmenta texana. 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 Texana Clearwing Moth - Hodges#2614 (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by Tony; Additional contributions by anitagould , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Texana Clearwing Moth - Hodges#2614
How big is Texana Clearwing Moth - Hodges#2614?
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Forewing | Forewing length 6-11 mm. |
| Wingspan | Wingspan 18-22 mm. |
Where is Texana Clearwing Moth - Hodges#2614 found?
Range: Along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts from Georgia to Texas.
What does Texana Clearwing Moth - Hodges#2614 eat?
The diet of the Texana Clearwing Moth - Hodges#2614 includes Larvae bore the crown roots and stems of various Asteraceae like sagebrush ( Artemisia ), fennel or thoroughwort ( Eupatorium ), ragweed ( Ambrosia ), squarestem ( Melanthera ), gumweed ( Grindelia ), and yellowtops ( Flaveria ); also sweet fennel ( Foeniculum vulgare , Apiaceae)..