Euchaetes zella - Hodges#8232
Euchaetes zella
This record describes Euchaetes zella (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Larva - not unlike its cogeners. See Comstock & Dammers. Type locality: Hot Springs, Arizona.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Erebidae
- Subfamily
- Arctiinae
- Tribe
- Arctiini
- Genus
- Euchaetes
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
CA to w. TX - Map (MPG)
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Comstock & Dammers found and reared them on Hartweg's twinevine ( Funastrum cynanchoides heterophyllum, =Philibertia heterophylla ). Moths of Southeastern Arizona lists milkweed ( Asclepias L., Asclepiadaceae).
Life History
Pupation occurs in a dense oval cocoon incorporating the larval hairs (Comstock & Dammers, 1935).
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Specific epithet zella likely in honor of author Harrison G. Dyar's wife, Zella. M. Peabody Dyar (1869-1938). The marriage ended in divorce in 1915 amid suspicion that Dyar had a second family with Bahá'í faith spiritual advisor Wellesca Pollock Allen, whom he married in 1921. She had three children, including Harrison G. born in 1911. The moth named for Zella, however, lives on.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Euchaetes zella. 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 Euchaetes zella - Hodges#8232 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Charley Eiseman; Additional contributions by Mike Quinn , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Euchaetes zella - Hodges#8232
What is Euchaetes zella - Hodges#8232?
Euchaetes zella - Hodges#8232 (Euchaetes zella) is a species in the family Erebidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Euchaetes zella - Hodges#8232?
Wingspan about 26 mm (Dyar, 1903). Larva to 25 mm (Comstock & Dammers, 1935). Pupa 12.5 mm (Comstock & Dammers, 1935).
How do you identify Euchaetes zella - Hodges#8232?
Larva - not unlike its cogeners. See Comstock & Dammers.
Where is Euchaetes zella - Hodges#8232 found?
Range: CA to w. TX - Map (MPG)
What does Euchaetes zella - Hodges#8232 eat?
The diet of the Euchaetes zella - Hodges#8232 includes Comstock & Dammers found and reared them on Hartweg's twinevine ( Funastrum cynanchoides heterophyllum, =Philibertia heterophylla ). Moths of Southeastern Arizona lists milkweed ( Asclepias L., Asclepiadaceae)..
What is the life cycle of a Euchaetes zella - Hodges#8232?
Pupation occurs in a dense oval cocoon incorporating the larval hairs (Comstock & Dammers, 1935).