Donacaula forficella
This record describes Donacaula forficella (species). Recorded family: Crambidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Inhabiting marshy areas, ditches and similar habitats. The moths fly in June and July and are usually encountered at light. The larva of this species has a peculiar habit of cutting part of a leaf to act as a raft, using this to float on the water to a new foodplant when necessary. Common reed and similar plants are the larval foodplants. The species is found in the southern half of Britain. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Family
- Crambidae
- Genus
- Donacaula
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Inhabiting marshy areas, ditches and similar habitats.
Seasonal Activity
The moths fly in June and July and are usually encountered at light.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larva of this species has a peculiar habit of cutting part of a leaf to act as a raft, using this to float on the water to a new foodplant when necessary. Common reed and similar plants are the larval foodplants.
Additional species information
Recorded status
The species is found in the southern half of Britain. 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 Donacaula forficella. 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 Donacaula forficella (9)
Frequently Asked Questions About Donacaula forficella
What is Donacaula forficella?
Donacaula forficella is a species in the family Crambidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Donacaula forficella found?
Habitat: Inhabiting marshy areas, ditches and similar habitats.
When is Donacaula forficella active?
Donacaula forficella: seasonal activity - The moths fly in June and July and are usually encountered at light..
What is the life cycle of a Donacaula forficella?
The larva of this species has a peculiar habit of cutting part of a leaf to act as a raft, using this to float on the water to a new foodplant when necessary. Common reed and similar plants are the larval foodplants.