Dark Gray Lichen Moth - Hodges#8045
Crambidia lithosioides
This record describes Crambidia lithosioides (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Female has dark brownish-gray forewing with paler veins, pale yellow strip along costa and serrate antennae. Male has pale grayish-brown forewing with paler veins, lacks pale costal strip and has pectinate antennae. ♀ ♂
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Erebidae
- Subfamily
- Arctiinae
- Tribe
- Lithosiini
- Genus
- Crambidia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Heppner (2003) reported the range to include North Carolina to Florida, Kentucky to Mississippi. ( 5 ) Moth Photographers Group expands the range north to Pennsylvania, and west to Texas and Oklahoma. ( 6 ) Type specimen collected in Texas.
Seasonal Activity
Adults fly from May to October. ( 6 ) Heppner (2003) reported adults fly January to December in Florida. ( 5 )
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Heppner (2003) reported the larval host is lichens. ( 5 )
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Specific name lithosioides from Latin meaning "stone."
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Crambidia lithosioides. 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 Dark Gray Lichen Moth - Hodges#8045 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Maury Heiman , Robert Lord Zimlich , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Dark Gray Lichen Moth - Hodges#8045
What is Dark Gray Lichen Moth - Hodges#8045?
Dark Gray Lichen Moth - Hodges#8045 (Crambidia lithosioides) is a species in the family Erebidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Dark Gray Lichen Moth - Hodges#8045?
Covell (1984) reported the wingspan as 12-18 mm. ( 4 )
How do you identify Dark Gray Lichen Moth - Hodges#8045?
Female has dark brownish-gray forewing with paler veins, pale yellow strip along costa and serrate antennae. Male has pale grayish-brown forewing with paler veins, lacks pale costal strip and has pectinate antennae. ♀ ♂
Where is Dark Gray Lichen Moth - Hodges#8045 found?
Range: Heppner (2003) reported the range to include North Carolina to Florida, Kentucky to Mississippi. ( 5 ) Moth Photographers Group expands the range north to Pennsylvania, and west to Texas and Oklahoma. ( 6 ) Type specimen collected in Texas.
What does Dark Gray Lichen Moth - Hodges#8045 eat?
The diet of the Dark Gray Lichen Moth - Hodges#8045 includes Heppner (2003) reported the larval host is lichens. ( 5 ).
When is Dark Gray Lichen Moth - Hodges#8045 active?
Dark Gray Lichen Moth - Hodges#8045: seasonal activity - Adults fly from May to October. ( 6 ) Heppner (2003) reported adults fly January to December in Florida. ( 5 ).