Cyclamen Tortrix
Clepsis spectrana
This record describes Clepsis spectrana (species). Recorded family: Tortricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 16-22 mm. This is a very variable species. The ground colour of the forewing ranges from creamy yellow to rich chestnut-brown or dark brown. However, it usually shows a similar pattern of darker markings. The costa of the male's wing is distinctly convex, while on the female the distal half of the costa is slightly concave. It occurs in a variety of habitats but prefers lush vegetation in damp conditions, including wet woodland, marshes, bogs and coastal saltings. It flies between early May and September but is commonest in mid June. The larvae feed in the spun leaves and flowers of a wide variety of herbaceous plants. Full-grown larvae are most often found in May and June. It is common over England, Wales, Ireland and southern Scotland. 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
- Tortricoidea
- Family
- Tortricidae (Tortricid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Tortricinae
- Tribe
- Archipini
- Genus
- Clepsis
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
It occurs in a variety of habitats but prefers lush vegetation in damp conditions, including wet woodland, marshes, bogs and coastal saltings.
Seasonal Activity
It flies between early May and September but is commonest in mid June.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larvae feed in the spun leaves and flowers of a wide variety of herbaceous plants. Full-grown larvae are most often found in May and June.
Additional species information
Recorded status
It is common over England, Wales, Ireland and southern Scotland. 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 Clepsis spectrana. 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 Cyclamen Tortrix (10)
Frequently Asked Questions About Cyclamen Tortrix
What is Cyclamen Tortrix?
Cyclamen Tortrix (Clepsis spectrana) is a species in the family Tortricidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Cyclamen Tortrix found?
Habitat: It occurs in a variety of habitats but prefers lush vegetation in damp conditions, including wet woodland, marshes, bogs and coastal saltings.
When is Cyclamen Tortrix active?
Cyclamen Tortrix: seasonal activity - It flies between early May and September but is commonest in mid June..
What is the life cycle of a Cyclamen Tortrix?
The larvae feed in the spun leaves and flowers of a wide variety of herbaceous plants. Full-grown larvae are most often found in May and June.