Diplodoma laichartingella
This record describes Diplodoma laichartingella (species). Recorded family: Psychidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
The adult moths fly in one generation, during May and June. The larva builds a case, covered with small fragments of plant matter and other particles, and feeds on lichens, decaying plant matter and detritus. The larval period usually lasts for two years. This species has a scattered distribution throughout much of the British Isles. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local. No additional images available for this species.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Family
- Psychidae
- Genus
- Diplodoma
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Well wooded areas.
Seasonal Activity
The adult moths fly in one generation, during May and June.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larva builds a case, covered with small fragments of plant matter and other particles, and feeds on lichens, decaying plant matter and detritus. The larval period usually lasts for two years.
Additional species information
Recorded status
This species has a scattered distribution throughout much of the British Isles. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Diplodoma laichartingella. 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.
Frequently Asked Questions About Diplodoma laichartingella
What is Diplodoma laichartingella?
Diplodoma laichartingella is a species in the family Psychidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Diplodoma laichartingella found?
Habitat: Well wooded areas.
When is Diplodoma laichartingella active?
Diplodoma laichartingella: seasonal activity - The adult moths fly in one generation, during May and June..
What is the life cycle of a Diplodoma laichartingella?
The larva builds a case, covered with small fragments of plant matter and other particles, and feeds on lichens, decaying plant matter and detritus. The larval period usually lasts for two years.