The Crescent

Helotropha leucostigma

This record describes Helotropha leucostigma (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.

Identification and Appearance

Wingspan 37 to 44 mm. In addition to the typical form there is a well marked variation, ab. fibrosa, which is just as frequent, as well as several intermediate forms. A species of damp, marshy woodland and moorland. The eggs overwinter and hatch in spring when the larvae feed on the stems of marshland plants, such as Yellow Flag (Iris pseudacorus). Locally widespread throughout Britain. In a recent survey to determine the status of all macro moths in Britain this species was classified as local.

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Noctuidae
Genus: Helotropha

Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.

Habitat and Range

Habitat

A species of damp, marshy woodland and moorland.

Seasonal Activity

It flies in August and September.

Diet and Behavior

Life History

The eggs overwinter and hatch in spring when the larvae feed on the stems of marshland plants, such as Yellow Flag (Iris pseudacorus).

Additional species information

Recorded status

Locally widespread throughout Britain. In a recent survey to determine the status of all macro moths in Britain this species was classified as local.

About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group

Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Helotropha leucostigma. 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.

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