Carnation Tortrix
Cacoecimorpha pronubana
This record describes Cacoecimorpha pronubana (species). Recorded family: Tortricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 14 to 24 mm. It is a fairly distinctive moth with rounded forewings and bright orange hindwings. Adults can be found on the wing in May and June and again in August and September. The larvae feed on a wide variety of different plants. An adventive species, first recorded in Britain on the south coast in 1905. Since then it has spread widely over a large part of the British Isles and is fairly common in some parts. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Tortricoidea
- Family
- Tortricidae (Tortricid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Tortricinae
- Tribe
- Archipini
- Genus
- Cacoecimorpha
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Gardens, parks etc.
Seasonal Activity
Adults can be found on the wing in May and June and again in August and September.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larvae feed on a wide variety of different plants.
Additional species information
Recorded status
An adventive species, first recorded in Britain on the south coast in 1905. Since then it has spread widely over a large part of the British Isles and is fairly common in some parts. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Cacoecimorpha pronubana. 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 Carnation Tortrix (8)
Frequently Asked Questions About Carnation Tortrix
What is Carnation Tortrix?
Carnation Tortrix (Cacoecimorpha pronubana) is a species in the family Tortricidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Carnation Tortrix found?
Habitat: Gardens, parks etc.
When is Carnation Tortrix active?
Carnation Tortrix: seasonal activity - Adults can be found on the wing in May and June and again in August and September..
What is the life cycle of a Carnation Tortrix?
The larvae feed on a wide variety of different plants.