Catoptria pinella
This record describes Catoptria pinella (species). Recorded family: Crambidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 18-24 mm. An attractive and distinctively marked moth, the orange wings having two large white discs. Damp areas, boggy heath land, fens and marshes. It flies by night in July and August and tends to rest in trees by day. The larvae feed on grasses grow that grow in damp habitats. Distributed over many parts of Britain but is most common in the south and east. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Family
- Crambidae
- Genus
- Catoptria
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Damp areas, boggy heath land, fens and marshes.
Seasonal Activity
It flies by night in July and August and tends to rest in trees by day.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larvae feed on grasses grow that grow in damp habitats.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Distributed over many parts of Britain but is most common in the south and east. 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 Catoptria pinella. 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 Catoptria pinella (9)
Frequently Asked Questions About Catoptria pinella
What is Catoptria pinella?
Catoptria pinella is a species in the family Crambidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Catoptria pinella found?
Habitat: Damp areas, boggy heath land, fens and marshes.
When is Catoptria pinella active?
Catoptria pinella: seasonal activity - It flies by night in July and August and tends to rest in trees by day..
What is the life cycle of a Catoptria pinella?
The larvae feed on grasses grow that grow in damp habitats.