Busck's Plume Moth - Hodges#6093
Geina buscki
This record describes Geina buscki (species). Recorded family: Pterophoridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
See the identification key for Oxyptilini . See the species accounts in Landry , Hunt & Matthews , McDunnough as Pterophorus buscki , and Barnes & Lindsey as Pterophorus tenuidactylus (misidentification). See the identification section of the Geina tenuidactylus or G. buscki page. Geina tenuidactylus and G. buscki adults cannot be reliably identified on sight or in photo records. Males can be determined by brushing scales off the valvae, females by dissection. See Landry, 1987 and Hunt & Matthews, 2020 . Genitalia:
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pterophoroidea
- Family
- Pterophoridae (Plume Moths)
- Subfamily
- Pterophorinae
- Tribe
- Oxyptilini
- Genus
- Geina
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Rubus sp. - Blackberry ( Block Island Moths )
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Geina buscki. 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 Busck's Plume Moth - Hodges#6093 (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by Ted Kropiewnicki; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Tony-2 , marcie oconnor , treichard , Robert H. Biagi
Frequently Asked Questions About Busck's Plume Moth - Hodges#6093
What is Busck's Plume Moth - Hodges#6093?
Busck's Plume Moth - Hodges#6093 (Geina buscki) is a species in the family Pterophoridae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Busck's Plume Moth - Hodges#6093?
See the identification key for Oxyptilini . See the species accounts in Landry , Hunt & Matthews , McDunnough as Pterophorus buscki , and Barnes & Lindsey as Pterophorus tenuidactylus (misidentification). See the identification section of the Geina tenuidactylus or G. buscki page. Geina tenuidactylus and G. buscki adults cannot be reliably identified on sight or in photo records. Males can be determined by brushing scales off the valvae, females by dissection. See Landry, 1987 and Hunt & Matthews, 2020 . Genitalia:
What does Busck's Plume Moth - Hodges#6093 eat?
The diet of the Busck's Plume Moth - Hodges#6093 includes Rubus sp. - Blackberry ( Block Island Moths ).