Dichorda rectaria - Hodges#7056
Dichorda rectaria
This record describes Dichorda rectaria (species). Recorded family: Geometridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Similar to Dichorda iridaria and Dichorda consequaria but lacks any whitish suffusion in the median area. Transverse lines are rather bold and fairly straight. Specimen identified by DNA Analysis:
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Geometroidea
- Family
- Geometridae (Geometrid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Geometrinae
- Tribe
- Nemoriini
- Genus
- Dichorda
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Texas to North Dakota and west to Idaho and California. Moth Photographers Group - large map with some distribution data.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larval host plant is skunkbush Rhus trilobata .
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: rectaria is Latin for a straight line
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Dichorda rectaria. 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 Dichorda rectaria - Hodges#7056 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Tim Loh; Additional contributions by Maury Heiman , Robert Lord Zimlich , Randy Hardy , Robert H. Biagi
Frequently Asked Questions About Dichorda rectaria - Hodges#7056
What is Dichorda rectaria - Hodges#7056?
Dichorda rectaria - Hodges#7056 (Dichorda rectaria) is a species in the family Geometridae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Dichorda rectaria - Hodges#7056?
wingspan 27-30 mm.
How do you identify Dichorda rectaria - Hodges#7056?
Similar to Dichorda iridaria and Dichorda consequaria but lacks any whitish suffusion in the median area. Transverse lines are rather bold and fairly straight. Specimen identified by DNA Analysis:
Where is Dichorda rectaria - Hodges#7056 found?
Range: Texas to North Dakota and west to Idaho and California. Moth Photographers Group - large map with some distribution data.
What does Dichorda rectaria - Hodges#7056 eat?
The diet of the Dichorda rectaria - Hodges#7056 includes Larval host plant is skunkbush Rhus trilobata ..