Festive Midget - Hodges#9681
Elaphria festivoides
This record describes Elaphria festivoides (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult: distinct whitish reniform spot interrupts broad black dash in median area of forewing. Lower PM line also whitish. Rest of forewing brown: lighter brown with gray mottling near base and along costa, darker beyond PM line. Hindwing distinctly gray with a white fringe. See full description by Pogue and Sullivan 2003 .
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
Southeast: North Carolina to Florida, west to Texas and north to Missouri. Moth Photographers Group - large map with some distribution data.
Seasonal Activity
Adults fly from February to October. January to November records on Moth Photographers Group.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larval host includes Box-elder ( Acer negundo ). ,
Life History
At least two generations per year (whereas the more northerly E. alapallida has one generation per year).
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Elaphria festivoides. 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 Festive Midget - Hodges#9681 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Mike Boone; Additional contributions by Robin McLeod , anitagould , Maury Heiman
Frequently Asked Questions About Festive Midget - Hodges#9681
What is Festive Midget - Hodges#9681?
Festive Midget - Hodges#9681 (Elaphria festivoides) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Festive Midget - Hodges#9681?
Forewing length 8.5–12 mm.
How do you identify Festive Midget - Hodges#9681?
Adult: distinct whitish reniform spot interrupts broad black dash in median area of forewing. Lower PM line also whitish. Rest of forewing brown: lighter brown with gray mottling near base and along costa, darker beyond PM line. Hindwing distinctly gray with a white fringe. See full description by Pogue and Sullivan 2003 .
Where is Festive Midget - Hodges#9681 found?
Range: Southeast: North Carolina to Florida, west to Texas and north to Missouri. Moth Photographers Group - large map with some distribution data.
What does Festive Midget - Hodges#9681 eat?
The diet of the Festive Midget - Hodges#9681 includes Larval host includes Box-elder ( Acer negundo ). ,.
When is Festive Midget - Hodges#9681 active?
Festive Midget - Hodges#9681: seasonal activity - Adults fly from February to October. January to November records on Moth Photographers Group..
What is the life cycle of a Festive Midget - Hodges#9681?
At least two generations per year (whereas the more northerly E. alapallida has one generation per year).