Dancing Moth - Hodges#0307.1
Dryadaula terpsichorella
This record describes Dryadaula terpsichorella (species). Recorded family: Dryadaulidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult : FW mainly creamy white with some delicate brown, the tips of the forewings are margined with a blackish line that is outwardly edged with white . Ground color can vary from buff to dark brown; note the diagonal white bands at the junction of thorax and FWs and the folded (indented) tips of the FWs in resting posture; antennae are banded brown and white. Specimen determined by DNA analysis (BOLD). Larva : Larva cylindrical and very dark brown with two brownish spots on each side of segments three and four. Dryadaula terpsichorella was originally described from Hawaii, where it was believed to have been introduced in 1900.
Wikipedia reference for Dryadaula terpsichorella: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dryadaula_terpsichorella.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Tineoidea
- Family
- Dryadaulidae (Dancing Moths)
- Genus
- Dryadaula
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Powell & Opler stated "The common name is derived from characteristic circular gyrations, with a crablike sideways gait, which the moth performs each time it alights."
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Dryadaula terpsichorella. 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 Dancing Moth - Hodges#0307.1 (3)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Robert Lord Zimlich , Chuck Sexton , Kyhl Austin
Frequently Asked Questions About Dancing Moth - Hodges#0307.1
What is Dancing Moth - Hodges#0307.1?
Dancing Moth - Hodges#0307.1 (Dryadaula terpsichorella) is a species in the family Dryadaulidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Dancing Moth - Hodges#0307.1?
Adult : Powell & Opler listed the forewing length 3.5-4 mm. Larva : Full-grown larva is about 9–10 mm
How do you identify Dancing Moth - Hodges#0307.1?
Adult : FW mainly creamy white with some delicate brown, the tips of the forewings are margined with a blackish line that is outwardly edged with white . Ground color can vary from buff to dark brown; note the diagonal white bands at the junction of thorax and FWs and the folded (indented) tips of the FWs in resting posture; antennae are banded brown and white. Specimen determined by DNA analysis (BOLD). Larva : Larva cylindrical and very dark brown with two brownish spots on each side of segments three and four.