Dark-spotted Looper - Hodges#8896
Diachrysia aereoides
This record describes Diachrysia aereoides (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
- Subfamily
- Plusiinae
- Tribe
- Plusiini
- Genus
- Diachrysia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Woodland clearings and edges in damp areas where foodplants grow; adults nocturnal and attracted to light (E.H. Strickland Museum).
Geographic Range
Newfoundland to North Carolina, west to northern California, north to British Columbia (E.H. Strickland Museum).
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae feed on leaves of asters, mint, meadowsweet ( Spiraea spp.), and other herbaceous or woody plants; probably a general feeder (E.H. Strickland Museum).
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Diachrysia aereoides. 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 Dark-spotted Looper - Hodges#8896 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Tony-2 , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Dark-spotted Looper - Hodges#8896
How big is Dark-spotted Looper - Hodges#8896?
forewing length 17-18 mm (Pogue, 2005)
Where is Dark-spotted Looper - Hodges#8896 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Woodland clearings and edges in damp areas where foodplants grow; adults nocturnal and attracted to light (E.H. Strickland Museum). |
| Range | Newfoundland to North Carolina, west to northern California, north to British Columbia (E.H. Strickland Museum). |
What does Dark-spotted Looper - Hodges#8896 eat?
The diet of the Dark-spotted Looper - Hodges#8896 includes Larvae feed on leaves of asters, mint, meadowsweet ( Spiraea spp.), and other herbaceous or woody plants; probably a general feeder (E.H. Strickland Museum)..