Eucosma cana
This record describes Eucosma cana (species). Recorded family: Tortricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 15-23 mm. This species is fairly distinctive with its buffish or greyish ground colour and darker longitudinal streaks. The light longitudinal discal streak on the forewing serves to separate darker specimens with indistinct markings from E. hohenwartiana . The adults are on the wing between June and August and fly from late afternoon onwards and come to light. The larvae feed on the flowerheads of various types of Thistle and Black Knapweed. Generally common and widely distributed in Britain. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Tortricoidea
- Family
- Tortricidae (Tortricid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Olethreutinae
- Tribe
- Eucosmini
- Genus
- Eucosma
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Rough ground and flower meadows.
Seasonal Activity
The adults are on the wing between June and August and fly from late afternoon onwards and come to light.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larvae feed on the flowerheads of various types of Thistle and Black Knapweed.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Generally common and widely distributed in Britain. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Eucosma cana. 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 Eucosma cana (10)
Frequently Asked Questions About Eucosma cana
What is Eucosma cana?
Eucosma cana is a species in the family Tortricidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Eucosma cana found?
Habitat: Rough ground and flower meadows.
When is Eucosma cana active?
Eucosma cana: seasonal activity - The adults are on the wing between June and August and fly from late afternoon onwards and come to light..
What is the life cycle of a Eucosma cana?
The larvae feed on the flowerheads of various types of Thistle and Black Knapweed.