Anthophila fabriciana
This record describes Anthophila fabriciana (species). Recorded family: Choreutidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 10-15 mm. Wing colour a patchwork of browns and greys sometimes with a frosted appearance. The edge of the forewing is often chequered. Waste ground and in hedgerows and gardens where Common Nettle grows. It flies in the daytime from May throughout the summer and can sometimes be found in large numbers around clumps of Common Nettle. Very common species, occurring throughout Britain. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
Wikipedia reference for Anthophila fabriciana: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthophila fabriciana.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Choreutoidea
- Family
- Choreutidae (Metalmark Moths)
- Subfamily
- Choreutinae
- Genus
- Anthophila
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Waste ground and in hedgerows and gardens where Common Nettle grows.
Seasonal Activity
It flies in the daytime from May throughout the summer and can sometimes be found in large numbers around clumps of Common Nettle.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larval foodplant is Nettle.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Very common species, occurring throughout Britain. 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 Anthophila fabriciana. 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 Anthophila fabriciana (9)
Frequently Asked Questions About Anthophila fabriciana
What is Anthophila fabriciana?
Anthophila fabriciana is a species in the family Choreutidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Anthophila fabriciana found?
Habitat: Waste ground and in hedgerows and gardens where Common Nettle grows.
When is Anthophila fabriciana active?
Anthophila fabriciana: seasonal activity - It flies in the daytime from May throughout the summer and can sometimes be found in large numbers around clumps of Common Nettle..
What is the life cycle of a Anthophila fabriciana?
The larval foodplant is Nettle.