Focillidia texana - Hodges#8730
Focillidia texana
This record describes Focillidia texana (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
The original description is available online in the print references listed below.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Erebidae
- Subfamily
- Erebinae
- Tribe
- Poaphilini
- Genus
- Focillidia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Pogue & Ferguson (1998) reported the range to include Arizona, Texas and Florida. ( 3 ) Moth Photographers Group includes Georgia. ( 4 ) Focillidia texana occurs outside the United States to Central America. Holotype ♀, USA, Location unknown, BMNH. (British Museum of Natural History, London)
Seasonal Activity
The flight period appears to be May to September. ( 4 )
Diet and Behavior
Diet: The host plant is unknown.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Focillidia texana. 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 Focillidia texana - Hodges#8730 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman
Frequently Asked Questions About Focillidia texana - Hodges#8730
What is Focillidia texana - Hodges#8730?
Focillidia texana - Hodges#8730 (Focillidia texana) is a species in the family Erebidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Focillidia texana - Hodges#8730?
Hampson (1913) listed the wingspan as 28-36 mm.
How do you identify Focillidia texana - Hodges#8730?
The original description is available online in the print references listed below.
Where is Focillidia texana - Hodges#8730 found?
Range: Pogue & Ferguson (1998) reported the range to include Arizona, Texas and Florida. ( 3 ) Moth Photographers Group includes Georgia. ( 4 ) Focillidia texana occurs outside the United States to Central America. Holotype ♀, USA, Location unknown, BMNH. (British Museum of Natural History, London)
What does Focillidia texana - Hodges#8730 eat?
The diet of the Focillidia texana - Hodges#8730 includes The host plant is unknown..
When is Focillidia texana - Hodges#8730 active?
Focillidia texana - Hodges#8730: seasonal activity - The flight period appears to be May to September. ( 4 ).