Gold-banded Etiella Moth - Hodges#5744
Etiella zinckenella
This record describes Etiella zinckenella (species). Recorded family: Pyralidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult : FW variably colored, red-brown to black-brown. White costal streak usually present. AM fascia orange brown to orange-red, fascia edged with black on AM side, frequently gold iridescence on fascia. Specimens of zinckenella vary considerably in size and, to a lesser extent, in color, although the pattern is fairly constant. There is a tendency for specimens from North America to be grayer than those from the rest of the world, but this is by no means constant. (Whalley, 1973) Larva : body pink or tan; head yellow and black. Worldwide pest of crops. Considered invasive in North America. (Capinera, John L. North American Vegetable Pests. The Pattern of Invasion. American Entomologist. Spring 2002)
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pyraloidea
- Family
- Pyralidae (Pyralid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Phycitinae
- Tribe
- Phycitini
- Genus
- Etiella
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Occurs on all continents (Powell & Opler, 2009).
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larval hosts include crops and plants in Leguminosae (Whalley, 1973).
Life History
Eggs laid on seed pods. Newly hatched larva immediately bore into seed pod. Mature larva eats through the wall of the pod, drops to the soil and burrows, and pupates in a cocoon (Whalley, 1973).
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Named in honor of German entomologist Johann Zincken (1770-1856).
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Etiella zinckenella. 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 Gold-banded Etiella Moth - Hodges#5744 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Jeff Hollenbeck; Additional contributions by cotinis , Beatriz Moisset , John Davis , Maury Heiman , Robert Lord Zimlich , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Gold-banded Etiella Moth - Hodges#5744
What is Gold-banded Etiella Moth - Hodges#5744?
Gold-banded Etiella Moth - Hodges#5744 (Etiella zinckenella) is a species in the family Pyralidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Gold-banded Etiella Moth - Hodges#5744?
Adult : Forewing length 8-12.5 mm (Powell and Opler, 2009). Larvae : 12-17 mm.
How do you identify Gold-banded Etiella Moth - Hodges#5744?
Adult : FW variably colored, red-brown to black-brown. White costal streak usually present. AM fascia orange brown to orange-red, fascia edged with black on AM side, frequently gold iridescence on fascia. Specimens of zinckenella vary considerably in size and, to a lesser extent, in color, although the pattern is fairly constant. There is a tendency for specimens from North America to be grayer than those from the rest of the world, but this is by no means constant. (Whalley, 1973) Larva : body pink or tan; head yellow and black.
Where is Gold-banded Etiella Moth - Hodges#5744 found?
Range: Occurs on all continents (Powell & Opler, 2009).
What does Gold-banded Etiella Moth - Hodges#5744 eat?
The diet of the Gold-banded Etiella Moth - Hodges#5744 includes Larval hosts include crops and plants in Leguminosae (Whalley, 1973)..
What is the life cycle of a Gold-banded Etiella Moth - Hodges#5744?
Eggs laid on seed pods. Newly hatched larva immediately bore into seed pod. Mature larva eats through the wall of the pod, drops to the soil and burrows, and pupates in a cocoon (Whalley, 1973).