Lantana Flower-Cluster Moth - Hodges#3279
Crocidosema lantana
This record describes Crocidosema lantana (species). Recorded family: Tortricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Larva - fuscous colored with a slight reddish tinge.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Tortricoidea
- Family
- Tortricidae (Tortricid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Olethreutinae
- Tribe
- Eucosmini
- Genus
- Crocidosema
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Native to Mexico and the southern United States Distribution & Flight-period Chart Type locality: Tantalus, Oahu, Hawaii (O.H. Sweezy ).
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae feed in pods of Bignonia chrysantha and in flower heads, on berries and also bore in tender twigs of Lantana species. It also feeds in the stem of litchi and in the terminal twigs of Tecoma stans.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Specific epithet for the host plant genus.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Crocidosema lantana. 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.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lantana Flower-Cluster Moth - Hodges#3279
What is Lantana Flower-Cluster Moth - Hodges#3279?
Lantana Flower-Cluster Moth - Hodges#3279 (Crocidosema lantana) is a species in the family Tortricidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Lantana Flower-Cluster Moth - Hodges#3279?
Wingspan 10-11 mm (Busck, 1910). Mature larva to 6 mm.
How do you identify Lantana Flower-Cluster Moth - Hodges#3279?
Larva - fuscous colored with a slight reddish tinge.
Where is Lantana Flower-Cluster Moth - Hodges#3279 found?
Range: Native to Mexico and the southern United States Distribution & Flight-period Chart Type locality: Tantalus, Oahu, Hawaii (O.H. Sweezy ).
What does Lantana Flower-Cluster Moth - Hodges#3279 eat?
The diet of the Lantana Flower-Cluster Moth - Hodges#3279 includes Larvae feed in pods of Bignonia chrysantha and in flower heads, on berries and also bore in tender twigs of Lantana species. It also feeds in the stem of litchi and in the terminal twigs of Tecoma stans..