Brown Ctenucha - Hodges#8265
Ctenucha brunnea
This record describes Ctenucha brunnea (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Stretch original description and the Hampson description are both available online in the print references. Forewings pale brown with black veins and blue spot at wing base, costa and fringe of outer margin is white. The population is in steady decline.
Identification notes
Stretch (1872) original description and the Hampson (1898) description are both available online in the print references. Forewings pale brown with black veins and blue spot at wing base, costa and fringe of outer margin is white.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Erebidae
- Subfamily
- Arctiinae
- Tribe
- Arctiini
- Genus
- Ctenucha
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Coastal
Geographic Range
Coastal areas of central to southern California . Specimens reported from Arizona and the Sierra Nevada may be misidentification according to McFarland. Moth Photographers Group - large map with some distribution data.
Seasonal Activity
Powell & Opler reported May through July. Moth Photographers Group displays records to September.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Adults are often found at flowers of Heteromeles arbutifolia (Lindl.) M. Roem. (toyon) The larvae feed on grass species including Leymus condensatus (J. Presl) Á. Löve (giant ryegrass).
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: brunne is the Latin word for brown.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Ctenucha brunnea. 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 Brown Ctenucha - Hodges#8265 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman
Frequently Asked Questions About Brown Ctenucha - Hodges#8265
What is Brown Ctenucha - Hodges#8265?
Brown Ctenucha - Hodges#8265 (Ctenucha brunnea) is a species in the family Erebidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Brown Ctenucha - Hodges#8265?
Forewing length 18-20 mm.
How do you identify Brown Ctenucha - Hodges#8265?
Stretch (1872) original description and the Hampson (1898) description are both available online in the print references. Forewings pale brown with black veins and blue spot at wing base, costa and fringe of outer margin is white.
Where is Brown Ctenucha - Hodges#8265 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Coastal |
| Range | Coastal areas of central to southern California . Specimens reported from Arizona and the Sierra Nevada may be misidentification according to McFarland. Moth Photographers Group - large map with some distribution data. |
What does Brown Ctenucha - Hodges#8265 eat?
The diet of the Brown Ctenucha - Hodges#8265 includes Adults are often found at flowers of Heteromeles arbutifolia (Lindl.) M. Roem. (toyon) The larvae feed on grass species including Leymus condensatus (J. Presl) Á. Löve (giant ryegrass)..
When is Brown Ctenucha - Hodges#8265 active?
Brown Ctenucha - Hodges#8265: seasonal activity - Powell & Opler reported May through July. Moth Photographers Group displays records to September..