Variable Girdle - Hodges#7005
Enypia venata
This record describes Enypia venata (species). Recorded family: Geometridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
A mid-sized, grey geometrid with heavy grey speckling and a dark broad median band, with a heavily scalloped border. Hindwing paler, with a faint PM line. Discal spot black, not white as in Caripeta species. Very similar to Nepytia species (particulary freemani), but in Enypia the forewing PM line comes closest to the wing margin near the apex (where it joins the costa), and in Nepytia the PM line is is nearest the wing margin in the subapica (not apical) area. Distinguished from E. griseata by the AM line, which jogs out to the discal spot in venata - the discal spot is well-separated from the AM band in griseata. (AEC)
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
Montane coniferous forest.
Geographic Range
Southern Alaska to New Mexico, east to western Alberta (McGuffin 1987).
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae feed on conifers. Western hemlock (Tsuga), Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga), and spruce (Picea) are reported hosts (Prentice 1963).
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Enypia venata. 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 Variable Girdle - Hodges#7005 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Brad Barnd; Additional contributions by Jason D. Roberts , Robert H. Biagi
Frequently Asked Questions About Variable Girdle - Hodges#7005
What is Variable Girdle - Hodges#7005?
Variable Girdle - Hodges#7005 (Enypia venata) is a species in the family Geometridae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Variable Girdle - Hodges#7005?
A mid-sized, grey geometrid with heavy grey speckling and a dark broad median band, with a heavily scalloped border. Hindwing paler, with a faint PM line. Discal spot black, not white as in Caripeta species. Very similar to Nepytia species (particulary freemani), but in Enypia the forewing PM line comes closest to the wing margin near the apex (where it joins the costa), and in Nepytia the PM line is is nearest the wing margin in the subapica (not apical) area. Distinguished from E. griseata by the AM line, which jogs out to the discal spot in venata - the discal spot is well-separated from the AM band in griseata. (AEC)
Where is Variable Girdle - Hodges#7005 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Montane coniferous forest. |
| Range | Southern Alaska to New Mexico, east to western Alberta (McGuffin 1987). |
What does Variable Girdle - Hodges#7005 eat?
The diet of the Variable Girdle - Hodges#7005 includes Larvae feed on conifers. Western hemlock (Tsuga), Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga), and spruce (Picea) are reported hosts (Prentice 1963)..