White-spotted Orange Moth - Hodges#5253
Diastictis argyralis
This record describes Diastictis argyralis (species). Recorded family: Crambidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Forewing ground color varies from orange-yellow to dark fuscous, with darker specimens in summer; minute or obsolescent silvery spots as follows: round AM spot below cell and sometimes minute spot in cell above it; round or subquadrate spot in outer fourth of cell; spot below end of cell, arrowhead-shaped or quadrate with outer edge emarginate; series of three submargined spots in cells M2, M3 & Cu1, with the latter displaced basad of others; subapical series of three spots just beyond end of cell; spots usually with black rims on pale specimens. ( 4 )
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pyraloidea
- Family
- Crambidae (Crambid Snout Moths)
- Subfamily
- Spilomelinae
- Tribe
- Agroterini
- Genus
- Diastictis
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Munroe reported from Alabama to North Carolina and Florida ( 4 )
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Diastictis argyralis. 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 White-spotted Orange Moth - Hodges#5253 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Ken Wolgemuth; Additional contributions by Maury Heiman , Randy Hardy , Steve Morris
Frequently Asked Questions About White-spotted Orange Moth - Hodges#5253
What is White-spotted Orange Moth - Hodges#5253?
White-spotted Orange Moth - Hodges#5253 (Diastictis argyralis) is a species in the family Crambidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is White-spotted Orange Moth - Hodges#5253?
wingspan approximately 22-27 mm ( 4 )
How do you identify White-spotted Orange Moth - Hodges#5253?
Forewing ground color varies from orange-yellow to dark fuscous, with darker specimens in summer; minute or obsolescent silvery spots as follows: round AM spot below cell and sometimes minute spot in cell above it; round or subquadrate spot in outer fourth of cell; spot below end of cell, arrowhead-shaped or quadrate with outer edge emarginate; series of three submargined spots in cells M2, M3 & Cu1, with the latter displaced basad of others; subapical series of three spots just beyond end of cell; spots usually with black rims on pale specimens. ( 4 )
Where is White-spotted Orange Moth - Hodges#5253 found?
Range: Munroe reported from Alabama to North Carolina and Florida ( 4 )