Mottled Euchlaena - Hodges#6737
Euchlaena tigrinaria
This record describes Euchlaena tigrinaria (species). Recorded family: Geometridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult: forewing color varies from bright orangish-yellow to medium yellowish-brown, darker beyond single fairly straight PM line; dark gray or black speckling intermixed with several larger blotches (speckling not as conspicuous against ground color of darker specimens); outer margin with shallow point but otherwise straight-edged, not wavy; pale patch at apex bordered by apical dash hindwing similarly colored, with 2 or 3 shallow scallops along upper half of outer margin Larva: body silver and gray with dorsal patches of reddish-brown; posterior of A1 and A5 with subdorsal wart; rests in typical dead-twig posture with only hindlegs resting on substrate
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Geometroidea
- Family
- Geometridae (Geometrid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Ennominae
- Tribe
- Angeronini
- Genus
- Euchlaena
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
deciduous forests and parks
Geographic Range
New Brunswick to Virginia, west to Texas, Utah, and Oregon, north to British Columbia
Seasonal Activity
adults fly from April to August in the south; May or June to July in the north larvae in April and May
Diet and Behavior
Diet: larvae feed on leaves of Trembling Aspen ( Populus tremuloides ), White Birch ( Betula papyrifera ), Buffaloberry ( Shepherdia canadensis ), Red-osier Dogwood ( Cornus sericea = stolonifera ), Beaked Hazel (Corylus cornuta), oak, Oceanspray ( Holodiscus discolor ), Lodgepole Pine ( Pinus contorta ), Saskatoon Serviceberry ( Amelanchier alnifolia ), willow
Life History
one generation per year
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Euchlaena tigrinaria. 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 Mottled Euchlaena - Hodges#6737 (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Tony-2 , Maury Heiman
Frequently Asked Questions About Mottled Euchlaena - Hodges#6737
What is Mottled Euchlaena - Hodges#6737?
Mottled Euchlaena - Hodges#6737 (Euchlaena tigrinaria) is a species in the family Geometridae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Mottled Euchlaena - Hodges#6737?
wingspan 33-41 mm
How do you identify Mottled Euchlaena - Hodges#6737?
Adult: forewing color varies from bright orangish-yellow to medium yellowish-brown, darker beyond single fairly straight PM line; dark gray or black speckling intermixed with several larger blotches (speckling not as conspicuous against ground color of darker specimens); outer margin with shallow point but otherwise straight-edged, not wavy; pale patch at apex bordered by apical dash hindwing similarly colored, with 2 or 3 shallow scallops along upper half of outer margin Larva: body silver and gray with dorsal patches of reddish-brown; posterior of A1 and A5 with subdorsal wart; rests in typical dead-twig posture with only hindlegs resting on substrate
Where is Mottled Euchlaena - Hodges#6737 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | deciduous forests and parks |
| Range | New Brunswick to Virginia, west to Texas, Utah, and Oregon, north to British Columbia |
What does Mottled Euchlaena - Hodges#6737 eat?
The diet of the Mottled Euchlaena - Hodges#6737 includes larvae feed on leaves of Trembling Aspen ( Populus tremuloides ), White Birch ( Betula papyrifera ), Buffaloberry ( Shepherdia canadensis ), Red-osier Dogwood ( Cornus sericea = stolonifera ), Beaked Hazel (Corylus cornuta), oak, Oceanspray ( Holodiscus discolor ), Lodgepole Pine ( Pinus contorta ), Saskatoon Serviceberry ( Amelanchier alnifolia ), willow.
When is Mottled Euchlaena - Hodges#6737 active?
Mottled Euchlaena - Hodges#6737: seasonal activity - adults fly from April to August in the south; May or June to July in the north larvae in April and May.
What is the life cycle of a Mottled Euchlaena - Hodges#6737?
one generation per year