Elaphria agrotina - Hodges#9677
Elaphria agrotina
This record describes Elaphria agrotina (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Identification notes
Genitalia:
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
- Subfamily
- Noctuinae
- Tribe
- Elaphriini
- Genus
- Elaphria (Midgets)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Florida, north to Maryland, Kentucky; Texas. ( 3 ) , ( 4 ) , ( 5 ) West Indies, Mexico to Brazil. ( 6 ) , ( 5 ) Moth Photographers Group - large map with some distribution data.
Seasonal Activity
Heppner (2003) reported the flight period as January to October, December. ( 5 )
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larval host is unknown. ( 5 )
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Elaphria agrotina. 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 Elaphria agrotina - Hodges#9677 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by Robert H. Biagi
Frequently Asked Questions About Elaphria agrotina - Hodges#9677
How big is Elaphria agrotina - Hodges#9677?
Wingspan 18 mm.
How do you identify Elaphria agrotina - Hodges#9677?
Genitalia:
Where is Elaphria agrotina - Hodges#9677 found?
Range: Florida, north to Maryland, Kentucky; Texas. ( 3 ) , ( 4 ) , ( 5 ) West Indies, Mexico to Brazil. ( 6 ) , ( 5 ) Moth Photographers Group - large map with some distribution data.
What does Elaphria agrotina - Hodges#9677 eat?
The diet of the Elaphria agrotina - Hodges#9677 includes Larval host is unknown. ( 5 ).
When is Elaphria agrotina - Hodges#9677 active?
Elaphria agrotina - Hodges#9677: seasonal activity - Heppner (2003) reported the flight period as January to October, December. ( 5 ).