Curve-lined Angle - Hodges#6362
Digrammia continuata
This record describes Digrammia continuata (species). Recorded family: Geometridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
This species forms a complex with D. excurvata and D. setonana and adults are best identified by dissection .
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Geometroidea
- Family
- Geometridae (Geometrid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Ennominae
- Tribe
- Macariini
- Genus
- Digrammia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
New Brunswick to Florida, west to California, north to Manitoba. Range information complicated as species forms a complex with D. excurvata and D. setonana , adults of which are best separated by dissection.
Seasonal Activity
Adults fly from March to August, later in the far south. Larvae present from June to November.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae feed on white-cedar and red-cedar. Comstock & Dammers found them abundant on ornamental Guadalupe cypress ( Hesperocyparis guadalupensis ) in suburban California and speculated they feed on wild junipers, as well.
Life History
Two generations per year; overwinters as a pupa in soil or debris. Larva; adult
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Digrammia continuata. 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 Curve-lined Angle - Hodges#6362 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Lynette Elliott; Additional contributions by Robin McLeod , Tony-2 , anitagould , Maury Heiman , ceiseman , marcie oconnor , Randy Hardy , Steve Morris
Frequently Asked Questions About Curve-lined Angle - Hodges#6362
What is Curve-lined Angle - Hodges#6362?
Curve-lined Angle - Hodges#6362 (Digrammia continuata) is a species in the family Geometridae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Curve-lined Angle - Hodges#6362?
Wingspan about 22-24 mm Larva mature to 29 mm (Comstock & Dammers, 1935). Pupa 12.5 mm (Comstock & Dammers, 1935).
Where is Curve-lined Angle - Hodges#6362 found?
Range: New Brunswick to Florida, west to California, north to Manitoba. Range information complicated as species forms a complex with D. excurvata and D. setonana , adults of which are best separated by dissection.
What does Curve-lined Angle - Hodges#6362 eat?
The diet of the Curve-lined Angle - Hodges#6362 includes Larvae feed on white-cedar and red-cedar. Comstock & Dammers found them abundant on ornamental Guadalupe cypress ( Hesperocyparis guadalupensis ) in suburban California and speculated they feed on wild junipers, as well..
When is Curve-lined Angle - Hodges#6362 active?
Curve-lined Angle - Hodges#6362: seasonal activity - Adults fly from March to August, later in the far south. Larvae present from June to November..
What is the life cycle of a Curve-lined Angle - Hodges#6362?
Two generations per year; overwinters as a pupa in soil or debris. Larva; adult