Lead-colored Lichen Moth - Hodges#8067
Cisthene plumbea
This record describes Cisthene plumbea (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Recognized by the flat medium gray ground color, extensive yellowish or orange streak along the costal margin, single PM spot on the inner FW margin, and lack of a corresponding spot on the costal margin. The amount of yellow/orange on the entire moth is extremely variable. Many/most examples in the eastern part of its range, named form injecta by Dyar (1904), have a completely orange head, thorax, and broad orange suffusion over 1/3 to 1/2 of the wings; the fundamental pattern is still recognizable.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Erebidae
- Subfamily
- Arctiinae
- Tribe
- Lithosiini
- Genus
- Cisthene
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Adults are associated with mixed mesophytic upland woodlands (oak-hickory)(Landau & Prowell 1999).
Geographic Range
Eastern North America: southern New Jersey south to northern Florida, west to Wisconsin, Kansas, Oklahoma, and cen. Texas.
Seasonal Activity
June-September (2 broods)
Diet and Behavior
Life History
Larvae feed on lichens.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Cisthene plumbea. 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 Lead-colored Lichen Moth - Hodges#8067 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Cotinis; Additional contributions by Chuck Sexton , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Lead-colored Lichen Moth - Hodges#8067
What is Lead-colored Lichen Moth - Hodges#8067?
Lead-colored Lichen Moth - Hodges#8067 (Cisthene plumbea) is a species in the family Erebidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Lead-colored Lichen Moth - Hodges#8067?
17-21 mm wingspan
How do you identify Lead-colored Lichen Moth - Hodges#8067?
Recognized by the flat medium gray ground color, extensive yellowish or orange streak along the costal margin, single PM spot on the inner FW margin, and lack of a corresponding spot on the costal margin. The amount of yellow/orange on the entire moth is extremely variable. Many/most examples in the eastern part of its range, named form injecta by Dyar (1904), have a completely orange head, thorax, and broad orange suffusion over 1/3 to 1/2 of the wings; the fundamental pattern is still recognizable.
Where is Lead-colored Lichen Moth - Hodges#8067 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Adults are associated with mixed mesophytic upland woodlands (oak-hickory)(Landau & Prowell 1999). |
| Range | Eastern North America: southern New Jersey south to northern Florida, west to Wisconsin, Kansas, Oklahoma, and cen. Texas. |
When is Lead-colored Lichen Moth - Hodges#8067 active?
Lead-colored Lichen Moth - Hodges#8067: seasonal activity - June-September (2 broods).
What is the life cycle of a Lead-colored Lichen Moth - Hodges#8067?
Larvae feed on lichens.