Drasteria ochracea - Hodges#8626
Drasteria ochracea
This record describes Drasteria ochracea (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Powell & Opler describe the larvae as having longitudinal bands of yellow and tan bordered by darker shades. Head with six distinct bands.
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.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
British Columbia to California, Arizona, New Mexico, and western Colorado.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Powell & Opler reported the larvae feed on blue and red elderberry Sambucus species.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Drasteria ochracea. 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 ochracea - Hodges#8626 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Will Chatfield-Taylor; Additional contributions by Bob Patterson , Maury Heiman , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Drasteria ochracea - Hodges#8626
What is Drasteria ochracea - Hodges#8626?
Drasteria ochracea - Hodges#8626 (Drasteria ochracea) is a species in the family Erebidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Drasteria ochracea - Hodges#8626?
Powell & Opler listed the forewing length 20-21 mm.
How do you identify Drasteria ochracea - Hodges#8626?
Powell & Opler describe the larvae as having longitudinal bands of yellow and tan bordered by darker shades. Head with six distinct bands.
Where is Drasteria ochracea - Hodges#8626 found?
Range: British Columbia to California, Arizona, New Mexico, and western Colorado.
What does Drasteria ochracea - Hodges#8626 eat?
The diet of the Drasteria ochracea - Hodges#8626 includes Powell & Opler reported the larvae feed on blue and red elderberry Sambucus species..