Pink-washed Looper Moth - Hodges#8886
Enigmogramma basigera
This record describes Enigmogramma basigera (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adults - forewing pink/brown. Silver spots on forewing, one hollow and with stem attaching to line on wing, one filled. Larva description.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
- Subfamily
- Plusiinae
- Tribe
- Argyrogrammatini
- Genus
- Enigmogramma
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Maine south to Florida, along the Gulf Coast to southern and central Texas, sporadically north to Illinois, southern Michigan, and Ohio.
Seasonal Activity
June-September. ( 3 )
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Probably a Lobelia specialist USDA profile . Reared on cultivated Lobelia cardinalis in New Jersey. ( 4 )
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Enigmogramma basigera. 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 Pink-washed Looper Moth - Hodges#8886 (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by Cotinis; Additional contributions by Jeff Hollenbeck , Maury Heiman , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Pink-washed Looper Moth - Hodges#8886
What is Pink-washed Looper Moth - Hodges#8886?
Pink-washed Looper Moth - Hodges#8886 (Enigmogramma basigera) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Pink-washed Looper Moth - Hodges#8886?
Forewing length 14-16 mm.
How do you identify Pink-washed Looper Moth - Hodges#8886?
Adults - forewing pink/brown. Silver spots on forewing, one hollow and with stem attaching to line on wing, one filled. Larva description.
Where is Pink-washed Looper Moth - Hodges#8886 found?
Range: Maine south to Florida, along the Gulf Coast to southern and central Texas, sporadically north to Illinois, southern Michigan, and Ohio.
What does Pink-washed Looper Moth - Hodges#8886 eat?
The diet of the Pink-washed Looper Moth - Hodges#8886 includes Probably a Lobelia specialist USDA profile . Reared on cultivated Lobelia cardinalis in New Jersey. ( 4 ).
When is Pink-washed Looper Moth - Hodges#8886 active?
Pink-washed Looper Moth - Hodges#8886: seasonal activity - June-September. ( 3 ).