Digrammia pallidata - Hodges#6410
Digrammia pallidata
This record describes Digrammia pallidata (species). Recorded family: Geometridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
(Ann Hendrickson) At least in Edwards County, Texas, I have found them to be dimorphic. The males generally have darker PM areas with smudges: and the females often have V mark at vein 3 along the PM line, like this example: However, some females are completely plain and VERY hard to determine species visually. Genitalia:
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
Great Plains (central east Texas northward through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri to Nebraska and southwest Wisconsin) - Map (MPG), plus scattered western records?
Diet and Behavior
Diet: on Ashe Juniper ( Juniperus ashei ) in Texas per Ann Hendrickson ( 3 ) Werner & Olsen (1973) reported the larval host as creosote ( Larrae , Zygophyllaceae) but this is likely in error.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Specific epithet pallidata is Latin meaning "pale."
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Digrammia pallidata. 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 pallidata - Hodges#6410 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Randy Hardy; Additional contributions by Mike Quinn , Chuck Sexton , Robert H. Biagi , Steve Morris
Frequently Asked Questions About Digrammia pallidata - Hodges#6410
What is Digrammia pallidata - Hodges#6410?
Digrammia pallidata - Hodges#6410 (Digrammia pallidata) is a species in the family Geometridae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Digrammia pallidata - Hodges#6410?
Wingspan about 21-22 mm.
How do you identify Digrammia pallidata - Hodges#6410?
(Ann Hendrickson) At least in Edwards County, Texas, I have found them to be dimorphic. The males generally have darker PM areas with smudges: and the females often have V mark at vein 3 along the PM line, like this example: However, some females are completely plain and VERY hard to determine species visually. Genitalia:
Where is Digrammia pallidata - Hodges#6410 found?
Range: Great Plains (central east Texas northward through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri to Nebraska and southwest Wisconsin) - Map (MPG), plus scattered western records?
What does Digrammia pallidata - Hodges#6410 eat?
The diet of the Digrammia pallidata - Hodges#6410 includes on Ashe Juniper ( Juniperus ashei ) in Texas per Ann Hendrickson ( 3 ) Werner & Olsen (1973) reported the larval host as creosote ( Larrae , Zygophyllaceae) but this is likely in error..