Drasteria mirifica - Hodges#8616
Drasteria mirifica
This record describes Drasteria mirifica (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Crumb described the larvae as generally white, including the head.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Erebidae
- Subfamily
- Erebinae
- Tribe
- Melipotini
- Genus
- Drasteria
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larval host snow buckwheat ( Eriogonum niveum )
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Drasteria mirifica. 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 Drasteria mirifica - Hodges#8616 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by john and jane balaban; Additional contributions by Maury Heiman , Randy Hardy , Robert H. Biagi
Frequently Asked Questions About Drasteria mirifica - Hodges#8616
What is Drasteria mirifica - Hodges#8616?
Drasteria mirifica - Hodges#8616 (Drasteria mirifica) is a species in the family Erebidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Drasteria mirifica - Hodges#8616?
Crumb reported the larvae mature to 34 mm.
How do you identify Drasteria mirifica - Hodges#8616?
Crumb described the larvae as generally white, including the head.
What does Drasteria mirifica - Hodges#8616 eat?
The diet of the Drasteria mirifica - Hodges#8616 includes Larval host snow buckwheat ( Eriogonum niveum ).