Black-winged Dahana - Hodges#8266
Dahana atripennis
This record describes Dahana atripennis (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Orange abdomen, blue at base. Brown-black forewings with yellow anal dash. Black hindwings with blue tint
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Erebidae
- Subfamily
- Arctiinae
- Tribe
- Arctiini
- Genus
- Dahana
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Georgia - Florida - South Carolina. Moth Photographers Group - large range map with collection dates.
Seasonal Activity
Year-round in Florida
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larva (caterpillar) feeds on Spanish moss, Tillandsia usneoides (photos of the larvae on Spanish moss at the Georgia Lepidoptera link) USDA plant profile (PDF)
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Dahana atripennis. 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 Black-winged Dahana - Hodges#8266 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Mike Boone; Additional contributions by cotinis , Maury Heiman , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Black-winged Dahana - Hodges#8266
What is Black-winged Dahana - Hodges#8266?
Black-winged Dahana - Hodges#8266 (Dahana atripennis) is a species in the family Erebidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Black-winged Dahana - Hodges#8266?
Adult wingspan 33-40 mm
How do you identify Black-winged Dahana - Hodges#8266?
Orange abdomen, blue at base. Brown-black forewings with yellow anal dash. Black hindwings with blue tint
Where is Black-winged Dahana - Hodges#8266 found?
Range: Georgia - Florida - South Carolina. Moth Photographers Group - large range map with collection dates.
What does Black-winged Dahana - Hodges#8266 eat?
The diet of the Black-winged Dahana - Hodges#8266 includes Larva (caterpillar) feeds on Spanish moss, Tillandsia usneoides (photos of the larvae on Spanish moss at the Georgia Lepidoptera link) USDA plant profile (PDF).
When is Black-winged Dahana - Hodges#8266 active?
Black-winged Dahana - Hodges#8266: seasonal activity - Year-round in Florida.