Eucosma canusana - Hodges#3004.2
Eucosma canusana
This record describes Eucosma canusana (species). Recorded family: Tortricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult : FW is a mixture of gray to brownish gray scales, mostly tipped with white, producing a unicolorous ashy gray appearance. Some individuals have darker scales between veins and lighter scales on veins, producing weakly highlighted veins and striated appearance. Outer margin of wing has a thin, distinct, dark gray terminal line at edge of wing membrane. HW fringe scales uniformly light brownish gray, with darker scales usually accenting the veins and wing margins
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
Prairies.
Geographic Range
Records from Mississippi, South Carolina, Kentucky, Ohio and Missouri. , Holotype Male: Lynx Prairie Preserve, Adams County, Ohio (D.J. Wright).
Seasonal Activity
Eastern species with early spring flight periods
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larval hosts have not been recorded, but they probably are Asteraceae , as is the case, with other species in the genus.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Specific epithet from Latin canus meaning "gray, ash-colored."
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Eucosma canusana. 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 canusana - Hodges#3004.2 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robert Lord Zimlich; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Eucosma canusana - Hodges#3004.2
What is Eucosma canusana - Hodges#3004.2?
Eucosma canusana - Hodges#3004.2 (Eucosma canusana) is a species in the family Tortricidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Eucosma canusana - Hodges#3004.2?
FWL ≈ 7-10mm (males); 7-7.6mm (females)
How do you identify Eucosma canusana - Hodges#3004.2?
Adult : FW is a mixture of gray to brownish gray scales, mostly tipped with white, producing a unicolorous ashy gray appearance. Some individuals have darker scales between veins and lighter scales on veins, producing weakly highlighted veins and striated appearance. Outer margin of wing has a thin, distinct, dark gray terminal line at edge of wing membrane. HW fringe scales uniformly light brownish gray, with darker scales usually accenting the veins and wing margins
Where is Eucosma canusana - Hodges#3004.2 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Prairies. |
| Range | Records from Mississippi, South Carolina, Kentucky, Ohio and Missouri. , Holotype |
| Male | Lynx Prairie Preserve, Adams County, Ohio (D.J. Wright). |
What does Eucosma canusana - Hodges#3004.2 eat?
The diet of the Eucosma canusana - Hodges#3004.2 includes Larval hosts have not been recorded, but they probably are Asteraceae , as is the case, with other species in the genus..
When is Eucosma canusana - Hodges#3004.2 active?
Eucosma canusana - Hodges#3004.2: seasonal activity - Eastern species with early spring flight periods.