Six-spotted Digrammia - Hodges#6387.1
Digrammia sexpunctata
This record describes Digrammia sexpunctata (species). Recorded family: Geometridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Forewings mostly plain gray with black marks on the costa at the locations of the AM, median, and PM lines. The PM line is often bold, black, and continuous about half-way down the FW , typically with at least an additional black smudge outside the PM line across from the FW cell. Ferguson states that the species is so close to Digrammia ubiquitata that some specimens may needed genitalic examination to be separated. They occur over much of the same Great Basin range. The bold PM black line may be less continuous across the FW in ubiquitata (suggested in MPG images).
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
Habitat
In mountainous areas, the species occurs at middle elevations (7,000 - 8,000 ft).
Geographic Range
Known mainly from the Great Basin ranges. Ferguson examined specimens from Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. An MPG record mapped in central Texas was based on a misidentification.
Seasonal Activity
Flight period May to early August with peak in early to mid-July.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: The species has been reared from larvae on Purshia tridentata (Antelope bitterbrush) .
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Digrammia sexpunctata. 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 Six-spotted Digrammia - Hodges#6387.1 (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by John F. Carr; Additional contributions by Chuck Sexton , Robert H. Biagi
Frequently Asked Questions About Six-spotted Digrammia - Hodges#6387.1
What is Six-spotted Digrammia - Hodges#6387.1?
Six-spotted Digrammia - Hodges#6387.1 (Digrammia sexpunctata) is a species in the family Geometridae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Six-spotted Digrammia - Hodges#6387.1?
Forewings mostly plain gray with black marks on the costa at the locations of the AM, median, and PM lines. The PM line is often bold, black, and continuous about half-way down the FW , typically with at least an additional black smudge outside the PM line across from the FW cell.
Where is Six-spotted Digrammia - Hodges#6387.1 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | In mountainous areas, the species occurs at middle elevations (7,000 - 8,000 ft). |
| Range | Known mainly from the Great Basin ranges. Ferguson examined specimens from Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. An MPG record mapped in central Texas was based on a misidentification. |
What does Six-spotted Digrammia - Hodges#6387.1 eat?
The diet of the Six-spotted Digrammia - Hodges#6387.1 includes The species has been reared from larvae on Purshia tridentata (Antelope bitterbrush) ..
When is Six-spotted Digrammia - Hodges#6387.1 active?
Six-spotted Digrammia - Hodges#6387.1: seasonal activity - Flight period May to early August with peak in early to mid-July..