Cork Moth
Nemapogon cloacella
This record describes Nemapogon cloacella (species). Recorded family: Tineidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
A fairly common species throughout most of Britain, and found chiefly in woodland, especially where there is dead wood. The adult flies during the summer months, mainly at dusk, though it sometimes flies in sunshine. The larvae feed mainly on types of bracket fungus. A fairly common species throughout most of Britain. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Tineoidea
- Family
- Tineidae (Clothes Moths)
- Subfamily
- Nemapogoninae
- Genus
- Nemapogon
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
A fairly common species throughout most of Britain, and found chiefly in woodland, especially where there is dead wood.
Seasonal Activity
The adult flies during the summer months, mainly at dusk, though it sometimes flies in sunshine.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larvae feed mainly on types of bracket fungus.
Additional species information
Recorded status
A fairly common species throughout most of 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 Nemapogon cloacella. 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 Cork Moth (10)
Frequently Asked Questions About Cork Moth
What is Cork Moth?
Cork Moth (Nemapogon cloacella) is a species in the family Tineidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Cork Moth found?
Habitat: A fairly common species throughout most of Britain, and found chiefly in woodland, especially where there is dead wood.
When is Cork Moth active?
Cork Moth: seasonal activity - The adult flies during the summer months, mainly at dusk, though it sometimes flies in sunshine..
What is the life cycle of a Cork Moth?
The larvae feed mainly on types of bracket fungus.