Packard's Girdle - Hodges#7007
Enypia packardata
This record describes Enypia packardata (species). Recorded family: Geometridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult: light brownish-gray with dark speckling; discal spot a short black streak; AM and PM lines black, prominent; PM line angles diagonally from inner margin toward apex, meeting costa in apical area, and its outline is a highly irregular mix of triangular teeth and rounded sinuses; AM line scalloped; hindwing slightly paler with very irregular PM line; outer margin slightly angular or flattened Specimens identified by DNA analysis: Larva: head brown with cream-colored herringbone pattern on each lobe; frontal triangle green; body bright green with thin dark green middorsal stripe; white subdorsal stripe extends onto head; spiracular stripe white [adapted from description at Canadian Forest Service]
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Geometroidea
- Family
- Geometridae (Geometrid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Ennominae
- Tribe
- Ourapterygini
- Genus
- Enypia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
coniferous forests
Geographic Range
west coast from southern Alaska to California, east to Utah
Seasonal Activity
adults fly in late spring and summer larvae active from late summer through fall, and again in spring
Diet and Behavior
Diet: larvae feed on foliage of conifers, particularly Douglas-fir ( Pseudotsuga menziesii ), Grand Fir ( Abies grandis ), and Western Hemlock ( Tsuga heterophylla ); other hosts include Amabilis Fir, Western Red Cedar, Sitka Spruce, Mountain Hemlock
Life History
one generation per year; overwinters as a fourth or fifth-instar larva; larval feeding resumes in spring and continues until May or June; pupal stage lasts about 21 days and occurs between May and July; adults emerge from late May to August; females lay about 55 eggs on foliage; larvae emerge about two weeks later and feed until onset of cold weather [adapted from text at Canadian Forest Service]
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: PACKARDATA: named in honor of 19th century entomologist A.S. Packard, who described numerous species and genera of geometrid moths while working with the US Department of Agriculture. The common name suggested above follows similar names given to other species of Enypia : Mountain Girdle ( E. griseata ) and Variable Girdle ( E. venata ). "Girdle" presumably refers to the shape of the median area of the forewing - narrow at the inner margin, and flaring outward toward the costa, like the shape of a woman's girdle.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Enypia packardata. 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 Packard's Girdle - Hodges#7007 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Chuck Sexton , Robert H. Biagi , Steve Morris
Frequently Asked Questions About Packard's Girdle - Hodges#7007
What is Packard's Girdle - Hodges#7007?
Packard's Girdle - Hodges#7007 (Enypia packardata) is a species in the family Geometridae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Packard's Girdle - Hodges#7007?
wingspan 32-36 mm larva length to 25 mm
How do you identify Packard's Girdle - Hodges#7007?
Adult: light brownish-gray with dark speckling; discal spot a short black streak; AM and PM lines black, prominent; PM line angles diagonally from inner margin toward apex, meeting costa in apical area, and its outline is a highly irregular mix of triangular teeth and rounded sinuses; AM line scalloped; hindwing slightly paler with very irregular PM line; outer margin slightly angular or flattened Specimens identified by DNA analysis: Larva: head brown with cream-colored herringbone pattern on each lobe; frontal triangle green; body bright green with thin dark green middorsal stripe; white subdorsal stripe extends onto head; spiracular stripe white [adapted from description at Canadian Forest Service]
Where is Packard's Girdle - Hodges#7007 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | coniferous forests |
| Range | west coast from southern Alaska to California, east to Utah |
What does Packard's Girdle - Hodges#7007 eat?
The diet of the Packard's Girdle - Hodges#7007 includes larvae feed on foliage of conifers, particularly Douglas-fir ( Pseudotsuga menziesii ), Grand Fir ( Abies grandis ), and Western Hemlock ( Tsuga heterophylla ); other hosts include Amabilis Fir, Western Red Cedar, Sitka Spruce, Mountain Hemlock.
When is Packard's Girdle - Hodges#7007 active?
Packard's Girdle - Hodges#7007: seasonal activity - adults fly in late spring and summer larvae active from late summer through fall, and again in spring.
What is the life cycle of a Packard's Girdle - Hodges#7007?
one generation per year; overwinters as a fourth or fifth-instar larva; larval feeding resumes in spring and continues until May or June; pupal stage lasts about 21 days and occurs between May and July; adults emerge from late May to August; females lay about 55 eggs on foliage; larvae emerge about two weeks later and feed until onset of cold weather [adapted from text at Canadian Forest Service]