Tansy Plume
Gillmeria ochrodactyla
This record describes Gillmeria ochrodactyla (species). Recorded family: Pterophoridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 23 to 27 mm. Superficially similar to P. pallidactyla, this species has the hind leg banded brown and white below the middle spurs, and is often more distinctly marked on the forewing. Various habitats, especially where the larval foodplant is found. The larvae feed on Tansy, mining down a shoot, hibernating through the winter in the roots and burrowing up another shoot in the spring. It occurs over much of England and Wales. In the Butterfly Conservations Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as Nationally Scarce B. No additional images available for this species.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Family
- Pterophoridae
- Genus
- Gillmeria
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Various habitats, especially where the larval foodplant is found.
Seasonal Activity
Flies in July.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larvae feed on Tansy, mining down a shoot, hibernating through the winter in the roots and burrowing up another shoot in the spring.
Additional species information
Recorded status
It occurs over much of England and Wales. In the Butterfly Conservations Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as Nationally Scarce B.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Gillmeria ochrodactyla. 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.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tansy Plume
What is Tansy Plume?
Tansy Plume (Gillmeria ochrodactyla) is a species in the family Pterophoridae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Tansy Plume found?
Habitat: Various habitats, especially where the larval foodplant is found.
When is Tansy Plume active?
Tansy Plume: seasonal activity - Flies in July..
What is the life cycle of a Tansy Plume?
The larvae feed on Tansy, mining down a shoot, hibernating through the winter in the roots and burrowing up another shoot in the spring.