Ethmia albistrigella - Hodges#0973
Ethmia albistrigella
This record describes Ethmia albistrigella (species). Recorded family: Elachistidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
widespread in the mountains of Western North America
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Gelechioidea
- Family
- Elachistidae (Grass Miner Moths)
- Subfamily
- Ethmiinae
- Genus
- Ethmia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
mountains
Geographic Range
southern British Columbia southward in the Rocky Mountains to southwestern Colorado and into the Wasatch Range in northern Utah; on the Pacific coast through western Washington and Oregon into the mountains of California.
Seasonal Activity
late April to early August
Diet and Behavior
Diet: PhaceHa ramosissima (Hydrophyllaceae), in Tuolumne and Nevada counties, California; in Montana, Braun (1921a) listed Lappula floribunda (Boraginaceae) as a possible host. Two adults were reared from Sambucus stick "trap nests" (Parker and Bohart, 1966) by Parker in January 1966. The 18-inch sticks were placed in the ground at Craters-of-the-Moon National Monument, Idaho, in December 1964, by D. S. Horning, who suggests (in litt.) that Phacelia heterophylla or P. leucophylla may be a host there
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: The species epithet "albistrigella" means 'having a little (or thin?) white brisle', in reference to the thin white band on each forewing: albus (lat.) = white; strigos (gr.) = stiff bristle; -ella = a diminution suffix of strigos. -- Marius Virgiliu Aurelian on 253259
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Ethmia albistrigella. 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 Ethmia albistrigella - Hodges#0973 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by John F. Carr; Additional contributions by Chuck Entz , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Ethmia albistrigella - Hodges#0973
What is Ethmia albistrigella - Hodges#0973?
Ethmia albistrigella - Hodges#0973 (Ethmia albistrigella) is a species in the family Elachistidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Ethmia albistrigella - Hodges#0973?
forewing length 7.2 - 9.4 mm
Where is Ethmia albistrigella - Hodges#0973 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | mountains |
| Range | southern British Columbia southward in the Rocky Mountains to southwestern Colorado and into the Wasatch Range in northern Utah; on the Pacific coast through western Washington and Oregon into the mountains of California. |
What does Ethmia albistrigella - Hodges#0973 eat?
The diet of the Ethmia albistrigella - Hodges#0973 includes PhaceHa ramosissima (Hydrophyllaceae), in Tuolumne and Nevada counties, California; in Montana, Braun (1921a) listed Lappula floribunda (Boraginaceae) as a possible host. Two adults were reared from Sambucus stick trap nests (Parker and Bohart, 1966) by Parker in January 1966. The 18-inch sticks were placed in the ground at Craters-of-the-Moon National Monument, Idaho, in December 1964, by D. S. Horning, who suggests (in litt.) that Phacelia heterophylla or P. leucophylla may be a host there.
When is Ethmia albistrigella - Hodges#0973 active?
Ethmia albistrigella - Hodges#0973: seasonal activity - late April to early August.