Gonioterma mistrella - Hodges#1032
Gonioterma mistrella
This record describes Gonioterma mistrella (species). Recorded family: Stenomatidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Larva - Pink with dark dorsal stripe and chestnut head. See Miller (1940) in Print references.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Gelechioidea
- Family
- Stenomatidae
- Genus
- Gonioterma
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Records from much of the eastern half of the United States and southern Ontario. , , , , Type specimens collected in St. Louis, Missouri (September).
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Grasses (Miller, 1940).
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Gonioterma mistrella. 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 Gonioterma mistrella - Hodges#1032 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Steve Nanz; Additional contributions by Maury Heiman , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Gonioterma mistrella - Hodges#1032
What is Gonioterma mistrella - Hodges#1032?
Gonioterma mistrella - Hodges#1032 (Gonioterma mistrella) is a species in the family Stenomatidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Gonioterma mistrella - Hodges#1032?
Wingspan 20-23 mm. Pupa 7 mm (Miller, 1940)
How do you identify Gonioterma mistrella - Hodges#1032?
Larva - Pink with dark dorsal stripe and chestnut head. See Miller (1940) in Print references.
Where is Gonioterma mistrella - Hodges#1032 found?
Range: Records from much of the eastern half of the United States and southern Ontario. , , , , Type specimens collected in St. Louis, Missouri (September).
What does Gonioterma mistrella - Hodges#1032 eat?
The diet of the Gonioterma mistrella - Hodges#1032 includes Grasses (Miller, 1940)..