Epinotia bilunana
This record describes Epinotia bilunana (species). Recorded family: Tortricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 13-17 mm. Fairly distinctive with its creamy or pale greyish ground colour and diffuse blackish markings. Birch woodland and other areas where Birch is present. The adult flies during June and July and like most of its close relatives, is active from dusk into the night. The larvae feed internally on the catkins of Birch throughout the winter period. Quite common throughout most of Britain. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Family
- Tortricidae
- Genus
- Epinotia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Birch woodland and other areas where Birch is present.
Seasonal Activity
The adult flies during June and July and like most of its close relatives, is active from dusk into the night.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larvae feed internally on the catkins of Birch throughout the winter period.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Quite common throughout most of Britain. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Epinotia bilunana. 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 Epinotia bilunana (9)
Frequently Asked Questions About Epinotia bilunana
What is Epinotia bilunana?
Epinotia bilunana is a species in the family Tortricidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Epinotia bilunana found?
Habitat: Birch woodland and other areas where Birch is present.
When is Epinotia bilunana active?
Epinotia bilunana: seasonal activity - The adult flies during June and July and like most of its close relatives, is active from dusk into the night..
What is the life cycle of a Epinotia bilunana?
The larvae feed internally on the catkins of Birch throughout the winter period.