Ethmia quadrillella
This record describes Ethmia quadrillella (species). Recorded family: Ethmiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 15 to 19 mm. A distinctive moth with black and white patterning. This is a rare moth in our area, and a photograph is required please to suport your record. Areas where Comfrey or Lungwort are present. Flying between May and July, the adults are mostly nocturnal, and are attracted to light, but are sometimes seen flying in sunshine. The caterpillars live in a silken web and feed on the foliage of Comfrey and Lungwort. The smallest of our Ethmia species, this is a local moth, occurring in England mainly in the east and south-east. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as Nationally Scarce B. No additional images available for this species.
Wikipedia reference for Ethmia quadrillella: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethmia_quadrillella.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Gelechioidea
- Family
- Ethmiidae
- Subfamily
- Ethmiinae
- Genus
- Ethmia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Areas where Comfrey or Lungwort are present.
Seasonal Activity
Flying between May and July, the adults are mostly nocturnal, and are attracted to light, but are sometimes seen flying in sunshine.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The caterpillars live in a silken web and feed on the foliage of Comfrey and Lungwort.
Additional species information
Recorded status
The smallest of our Ethmia species, this is a local moth, occurring in England mainly in the east and south-east. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as Nationally Scarce B.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Ethmia quadrillella. 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 quadrillella (8)
Frequently Asked Questions About Ethmia quadrillella
What is Ethmia quadrillella?
Ethmia quadrillella is a species in the family Ethmiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Ethmia quadrillella found?
Habitat: Areas where Comfrey or Lungwort are present.
When is Ethmia quadrillella active?
Ethmia quadrillella: seasonal activity - Flying between May and July, the adults are mostly nocturnal, and are attracted to light, but are sometimes seen flying in sunshine..
What is the life cycle of a Ethmia quadrillella?
The caterpillars live in a silken web and feed on the foliage of Comfrey and Lungwort.