Garden Pebble
Evergestis forficalis
This record describes Evergestis forficalis (species). Recorded family: Crambidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 25-28 mm. This species has a distinctive resting posture and when completely at repose has the wings held in a steep tent-like fashion. Gardens and similar habitats throughout Britain. Double-brooded, flying in May and June, then again from late July to September, the adults are regularly attracted to light. The larvae like to feed on cultivated Cruciferous plants and can be a pest in gardens and allotments. Widespread and common 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
- Family
- Crambidae
- Genus
- Evergestis
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Gardens and similar habitats throughout Britain.
Seasonal Activity
Double-brooded, flying in May and June, then again from late July to September, the adults are regularly attracted to light.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larvae like to feed on cultivated Cruciferous plants and can be a pest in gardens and allotments.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Widespread and common 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 Evergestis forficalis. 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 Garden Pebble (9)
Frequently Asked Questions About Garden Pebble
What is Garden Pebble?
Garden Pebble (Evergestis forficalis) is a species in the family Crambidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Garden Pebble found?
Habitat: Gardens and similar habitats throughout Britain.
When is Garden Pebble active?
Garden Pebble: seasonal activity - Double-brooded, flying in May and June, then again from late July to September, the adults are regularly attracted to light..
What is the life cycle of a Garden Pebble?
The larvae like to feed on cultivated Cruciferous plants and can be a pest in gardens and allotments.