Green Hemlock Needleminer Moth - Hodges#1789
Coleotechnites apicitripunctella
This record describes Coleotechnites apicitripunctella (species). Recorded family: Gelechiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Identification notes
Genitalia:
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Gelechioidea
- Family
- Gelechiidae (Twirler Moths)
- Subfamily
- Gelechiinae
- Tribe
- Litini
- Genus
- Coleotechnites
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Quebec and NE USA.
Seasonal Activity
early June to mid-July
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Hemlock and cypress
Life History
The larva feed thru summer and fall, mining the leaves and webbing them together to form broad, flat nests. A nest may contain 6-8 mined leaves where the larvae spend the winter. One generation per year.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Coleotechnites apicitripunctella. 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 Green Hemlock Needleminer Moth - Hodges#1789 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by tom murray; Additional contributions by Marci Hess , Robert H. Biagi
Frequently Asked Questions About Green Hemlock Needleminer Moth - Hodges#1789
How big is Green Hemlock Needleminer Moth - Hodges#1789?
wingspan of 12mm Larva is 6mm
How do you identify Green Hemlock Needleminer Moth - Hodges#1789?
Genitalia:
Where is Green Hemlock Needleminer Moth - Hodges#1789 found?
Range: Quebec and NE USA.
What does Green Hemlock Needleminer Moth - Hodges#1789 eat?
The diet of the Green Hemlock Needleminer Moth - Hodges#1789 includes Hemlock and cypress.
When is Green Hemlock Needleminer Moth - Hodges#1789 active?
Green Hemlock Needleminer Moth - Hodges#1789: seasonal activity - early June to mid-July.
What is the life cycle of a Green Hemlock Needleminer Moth - Hodges#1789?
The larva feed thru summer and fall, mining the leaves and webbing them together to form broad, flat nests. A nest may contain 6-8 mined leaves where the larvae spend the winter. One generation per year.