Peppered Haimbachia - Hodges#5489
Haimbachia placidellus
This record describes Haimbachia placidellus (species). Recorded family: Crambidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult: forewing pale tan or whitish with dark speckling; PM and subterminal lines variably distinct to faint; PM line thick, diffuse, V-shaped, slightly irregular; subterminal line double, relatively thick, somewhat blurred, runs parallel to outer margin in lower two-thirds of wing, then bends smoothly toward base before reaching costa; area beyond ST line with yellow scaling along veins (sometimes faint or not noticeable); terminal line thin, black, double, the more proximal line breaking into 3 or 4 black dots near inner margin; hindwing pale yellowish with darker terminal line; at rest, wings are held in a loose tent-like position over the abdomen, not wrapped tightly around the body as in many other genera in the subfamily Crambinae
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pyraloidea
- Family
- Crambidae (Crambid Snout Moths)
- Subfamily
- Crambinae
- Tribe
- Haimbachiini
- Genus
- Haimbachia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
eastern United States: New York and Massachusetts to South Carolina, west to Tennessee.
Seasonal Activity
adults fly from May to at least July
Diet and Behavior
Diet: larvae presumably feed on grasses
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Haimbachia placidellus. 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 Peppered Haimbachia - Hodges#5489 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Kyhl Austin , Blocky
Frequently Asked Questions About Peppered Haimbachia - Hodges#5489
What is Peppered Haimbachia - Hodges#5489?
Peppered Haimbachia - Hodges#5489 (Haimbachia placidellus) is a species in the family Crambidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Peppered Haimbachia - Hodges#5489?
wingspan about 17 mm, based on photo by Jim Vargo at MPG
How do you identify Peppered Haimbachia - Hodges#5489?
Adult: forewing pale tan or whitish with dark speckling; PM and subterminal lines variably distinct to faint; PM line thick, diffuse, V-shaped, slightly irregular; subterminal line double, relatively thick, somewhat blurred, runs parallel to outer margin in lower two-thirds of wing, then bends smoothly toward base before reaching costa; area beyond ST line with yellow scaling along veins (sometimes faint or not noticeable); terminal line thin, black, double, the more proximal line breaking into 3 or 4 black dots near inner margin; hindwing pale yellowish with darker terminal line; at rest, wings are held in a loose tent-like position over the abdomen, not wrapped tightly around the body as in many other genera in the subfamily Crambinae
Where is Peppered Haimbachia - Hodges#5489 found?
Range: eastern United States: New York and Massachusetts to South Carolina, west to Tennessee.
What does Peppered Haimbachia - Hodges#5489 eat?
The diet of the Peppered Haimbachia - Hodges#5489 includes larvae presumably feed on grasses.
When is Peppered Haimbachia - Hodges#5489 active?
Peppered Haimbachia - Hodges#5489: seasonal activity - adults fly from May to at least July.