Catocala messalina - Hodges#8845
Catocala messalina
This record describes Catocala messalina (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Erebidae
- Subfamily
- Erebinae
- Tribe
- Catocalini
- Genus
- Catocala (Underwings)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Type locality: "Amerique Septentrionale." ( 9 )
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larval hosts may be sand live oak ( Quercus geminata ), sand laurel oak ( Quercus hermiphaerica ), live oak ( Quercus virginiana ). ( 8 )
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Specific epithet for Valeria Messalina , the third wife of the Roman Emperor Claudius, a powerful and promiscuous woman who conspired against her husband and was executed.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Catocala messalina. 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 Catocala messalina - Hodges#8845 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by marcie oconnor , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Catocala messalina - Hodges#8845
How big is Catocala messalina - Hodges#8845?
Wingspan 40-45 mm. ( 8 )
Where is Catocala messalina - Hodges#8845 found?
Range: Type locality: Amerique Septentrionale. ( 9 )
What does Catocala messalina - Hodges#8845 eat?
The diet of the Catocala messalina - Hodges#8845 includes Larval hosts may be sand live oak ( Quercus geminata ), sand laurel oak ( Quercus hermiphaerica ), live oak ( Quercus virginiana ). ( 8 ).