Exesa Midget Moth - Hodges#9682
Elaphria exesa
This record describes Elaphria exesa (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
See Hampson in print references below. Elaphria trolia (Dyar, 1914), stat. n., was described and previously treated as a Central American subspecies of Elaphria exesa (Guenée, 1852), but differs from it in barcodes (3.5%) and male genital characters. So, it is revised to the status of valid species. [Contributed by Jim Troubridge]
Identification notes
See Hampson (1909) in print references below.
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
FL and nearby states. Examples from eastern TX appear to be this species based on larger size and appearance.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Elaphria exesa. 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 Exesa Midget Moth - Hodges#9682 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Jason D. Roberts; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Robert Lord Zimlich , A. Hendrickson
Frequently Asked Questions About Exesa Midget Moth - Hodges#9682
What is Exesa Midget Moth - Hodges#9682?
Exesa Midget Moth - Hodges#9682 (Elaphria exesa) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Exesa Midget Moth - Hodges#9682?
See Hampson (1909) in print references below.
Where is Exesa Midget Moth - Hodges#9682 found?
Range: FL and nearby states. Examples from eastern TX appear to be this species based on larger size and appearance.