Decodes helix - Hodges#3579.1
Decodes helix
This record describes Decodes helix (species). Recorded family: Tortricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Specimen determined by DNA analysis (BOLD).
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Tortricoidea
- Family
- Tortricidae (Tortricid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Tortricinae
- Tribe
- Cnephasiini
- Genus
- Decodes
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Southern California. Holotype ♂ from Torrey pines area, Santa Rosa Island, Santa Barbara Co., California.
Seasonal Activity
Powell & Opler reported the adults fly in winter and spring.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Powell & Opler listed three host plants. Arctostaphylos confertiflora Eastw. (Santa Rosa Island manzanita). A. insularis Greene ex Parry (Island manzanita). Xylococcus bicolor Nutt. (Mission manzanita).
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Decodes helix. 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 Decodes helix - Hodges#3579.1 (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman
Frequently Asked Questions About Decodes helix - Hodges#3579.1
What is Decodes helix - Hodges#3579.1?
Decodes helix - Hodges#3579.1 (Decodes helix) is a species in the family Tortricidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Decodes helix - Hodges#3579.1?
Powell & Opler listed the forewing length 8-9.5 mm.
How do you identify Decodes helix - Hodges#3579.1?
Specimen determined by DNA analysis (BOLD).
Where is Decodes helix - Hodges#3579.1 found?
Range: Southern California. Holotype ♂ from Torrey pines area, Santa Rosa Island, Santa Barbara Co., California.
What does Decodes helix - Hodges#3579.1 eat?
The diet of the Decodes helix - Hodges#3579.1 includes Powell & Opler listed three host plants. Arctostaphylos confertiflora Eastw. (Santa Rosa Island manzanita). A. insularis Greene ex Parry (Island manzanita). Xylococcus bicolor Nutt. (Mission manzanita)..
When is Decodes helix - Hodges#3579.1 active?
Decodes helix - Hodges#3579.1: seasonal activity - Powell & Opler reported the adults fly in winter and spring..