Spotted Fireworm Moth - Hodges#3633
Choristoneura parallela
This record describes Choristoneura parallela (species). Recorded family: Tortricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Tortricoidea
- Family
- Tortricidae (Tortricid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Tortricinae
- Tribe
- Archipini
- Genus
- Choristoneura
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Almost all records are from the eastern United States and southeastern Canada. Types: Putman County, New York; Philadelphia (Bunte).
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Polyphagous. Recorded on maple, oak, citrus, apple, blueberry, laurel, gardenia, rose, goldenrod, sweetgale, St. John's wort, mimosa and pitcherplant. ( 3 )
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Specific epithet is Latin meaning "parallel," for the forewings "boldly arched at the base, costa nearly straight beyond, parallel with internal margin."
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Choristoneura parallela. 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 Spotted Fireworm Moth - Hodges#3633 (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by Beatriz Moisset; Additional contributions by Robert Lord Zimlich , Randy Hardy , Blocky
Frequently Asked Questions About Spotted Fireworm Moth - Hodges#3633
How big is Spotted Fireworm Moth - Hodges#3633?
Wingspan: males 23-25 mm.
Where is Spotted Fireworm Moth - Hodges#3633 found?
Range: Almost all records are from the eastern United States and southeastern Canada. Types: Putman County, New York; Philadelphia (Bunte).
What does Spotted Fireworm Moth - Hodges#3633 eat?
The diet of the Spotted Fireworm Moth - Hodges#3633 includes Polyphagous. Recorded on maple, oak, citrus, apple, blueberry, laurel, gardenia, rose, goldenrod, sweetgale, St. John's wort, mimosa and pitcherplant. ( 3 ).