Duponchelia fovealis
This record describes Duponchelia fovealis (species). Recorded family: Crambidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
The species has the potential to be a pest in horticultural establishments, and there have been reported outbreaks in nurseries. On the continent it already has become such a pest in certain areas, and feeds on a wide range of host plants. The adults have generally been found on the wing in May and June. An adventive species generally thought to be imported with cultivated plants. The first British record was of one found indoors in 1996, and there have been several indoor records since. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as Migrant/Adventive.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pyraloidea
- Family
- Crambidae (Crambid Snout Moths)
- Subfamily
- Spilomelinae
- Tribe
- Steniini
- Genus
- Duponchelia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
The species has the potential to be a pest in horticultural establishments, and there have been reported outbreaks in nurseries. On the continent it already has become such a pest in certain areas, and feeds on a wide range of host plants.
Seasonal Activity
The adults have generally been found on the wing in May and June.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
Adventive species in Britain.
Additional species information
Recorded status
An adventive species generally thought to be imported with cultivated plants. The first British record was of one found indoors in 1996, and there have been several indoor records since. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as Migrant/Adventive.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Duponchelia fovealis. 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 Duponchelia fovealis (7)
Frequently Asked Questions About Duponchelia fovealis
What is Duponchelia fovealis?
Duponchelia fovealis is a species in the family Crambidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Duponchelia fovealis found?
Habitat: The species has the potential to be a pest in horticultural establishments, and there have been reported outbreaks in nurseries. On the continent it already has become such a pest in certain areas, and feeds on a wide range of host plants.
When is Duponchelia fovealis active?
Duponchelia fovealis: seasonal activity - The adults have generally been found on the wing in May and June..
What is the life cycle of a Duponchelia fovealis?
Adventive species in Britain.