Capsule Moth - Hodges#10317
Hadena capsularis
This record describes Hadena capsularis (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult : FW medium gray ground, including a large pale-filled orbicular spot, a pointed claviform spot, and a series of horizontal black lines at the dentate W-mark along the outer margin. AM and PM are black, doubled.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
- Subfamily
- Noctuinae
- Tribe
- Hadenini
- Genus
- Hadena
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Distributed throughout much of eastern North America, extending westward throughout the Rocky Mountains to British Columbia and Arizona.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: This species is a foodplant specialist feeding on herbaceous plants of the pink family (Caryophyllaceae), including the genera Dianthus and Silene. Larvae tend to feed on the flowers and seedheads.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Hadena capsularis (Guenée, 1852)
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Hadena capsularis. 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 Capsule Moth - Hodges#10317 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Charley Eiseman; Additional contributions by Robert Lord Zimlich
Frequently Asked Questions About Capsule Moth - Hodges#10317
What is Capsule Moth - Hodges#10317?
Capsule Moth - Hodges#10317 (Hadena capsularis) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Capsule Moth - Hodges#10317?
FWL 13 - 14 mm
How do you identify Capsule Moth - Hodges#10317?
Adult : FW medium gray ground, including a large pale-filled orbicular spot, a pointed claviform spot, and a series of horizontal black lines at the dentate W-mark along the outer margin. AM and PM are black, doubled.
Where is Capsule Moth - Hodges#10317 found?
Range: Distributed throughout much of eastern North America, extending westward throughout the Rocky Mountains to British Columbia and Arizona.
What does Capsule Moth - Hodges#10317 eat?
The diet of the Capsule Moth - Hodges#10317 includes This species is a foodplant specialist feeding on herbaceous plants of the pink family (Caryophyllaceae), including the genera Dianthus and Silene. Larvae tend to feed on the flowers and seedheads..