Gypsonoma minutana
This record describes Gypsonoma minutana (species). Recorded family: Tortricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan around 12 to 15 mm. This is a rather distinctive, heavily mottled Tortricid. The flight period of the adults is during July when the moths may be found resting on tree-trunks but are often hidden higher up in the canopy. The foodplants are poplar species including aspen - the larva spinning two leaves together during May or June. Locally distributed in the south-east of England, rare elsewhere in Britain. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as Nationally Scarce B.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Family
- Tortricidae
- Genus
- Gypsonoma
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Frequents woodland margins.
Seasonal Activity
The flight period of the adults is during July when the moths may be found resting on tree-trunks but are often hidden higher up in the canopy.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The foodplants are poplar species including aspen - the larva spinning two leaves together during May or June.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Locally distributed in the south-east of England, rare elsewhere in Britain. In the Butterfly Conservation's 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 Gypsonoma minutana. 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 Gypsonoma minutana (6)
Frequently Asked Questions About Gypsonoma minutana
What is Gypsonoma minutana?
Gypsonoma minutana is a species in the family Tortricidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Gypsonoma minutana found?
Habitat: Frequents woodland margins.
When is Gypsonoma minutana active?
Gypsonoma minutana: seasonal activity - The flight period of the adults is during July when the moths may be found resting on tree-trunks but are often hidden higher up in the canopy..
What is the life cycle of a Gypsonoma minutana?
The foodplants are poplar species including aspen - the larva spinning two leaves together during May or June.