Digrammia excurvata - Hodges#6363
Digrammia excurvata
This record describes Digrammia excurvata (species). Recorded family: Geometridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult - similar to Curve-lined Angle ( Digrammia continuata ) but occurs farther west and usually has a straighter PM line on forewing. This species forms a complex with D. continuata 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
California east to Texas and Oklahoma, north to Colorado and Washington.
Seasonal Activity
Adults fly from March to September in California.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae feed on California Juniper ( Juniperus californica ) and presumably other species of juniper in the northern and eastern parts of its range where J. californica is not present.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Digrammia excurvata. 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 Digrammia excurvata - Hodges#6363 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Digrammia excurvata - Hodges#6363
What is Digrammia excurvata - Hodges#6363?
Digrammia excurvata - Hodges#6363 (Digrammia excurvata) is a species in the family Geometridae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Digrammia excurvata - Hodges#6363?
Wingspan about 30-31 mm.
How do you identify Digrammia excurvata - Hodges#6363?
Adult - similar to Curve-lined Angle ( Digrammia continuata ) but occurs farther west and usually has a straighter PM line on forewing.
Where is Digrammia excurvata - Hodges#6363 found?
Range: California east to Texas and Oklahoma, north to Colorado and Washington.
What does Digrammia excurvata - Hodges#6363 eat?
The diet of the Digrammia excurvata - Hodges#6363 includes Larvae feed on California Juniper ( Juniperus californica ) and presumably other species of juniper in the northern and eastern parts of its range where J. californica is not present..
When is Digrammia excurvata - Hodges#6363 active?
Digrammia excurvata - Hodges#6363: seasonal activity - Adults fly from March to September in California..