Colona Moth - Hodges#8108
Haploa colona
This record describes Haploa colona (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Fore wings white with variable number of brown markings. Hind wings and abdomen sulfur yellow. Thorax pure white or with dark brown stripes. Caterpillar is dark brown to black and has large bluish tubercles; it is marked by broken lengthwise stripes and covered with very short black hair. This moth is the largest North American member of the genus.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Erebidae
- Subfamily
- Arctiinae
- Tribe
- Arctiini
- Genus
- Haploa
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Rich, moist southern woodlands.
Geographic Range
Coastal plain: southeastern Virginia south to Florida, west to Texas
Seasonal Activity
April-July
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae feed on a variety of plants, especially deciduous shrubs and trees: apple, ash, hackberry,
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Haploa colona. 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 Colona Moth - Hodges#8108 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Cotinis; Additional contributions by Mike Boone , Matthew Roth , Steve Morris
Frequently Asked Questions About Colona Moth - Hodges#8108
What is Colona Moth - Hodges#8108?
Colona Moth - Hodges#8108 (Haploa colona) is a species in the family Erebidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Colona Moth - Hodges#8108?
40-58mm Wingspan
How do you identify Colona Moth - Hodges#8108?
Fore wings white with variable number of brown markings. Hind wings and abdomen sulfur yellow. Thorax pure white or with dark brown stripes. Caterpillar is dark brown to black and has large bluish tubercles; it is marked by broken lengthwise stripes and covered with very short black hair.
Where is Colona Moth - Hodges#8108 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Rich, moist southern woodlands. |
| Range | Coastal plain: southeastern Virginia south to Florida, west to Texas |
What does Colona Moth - Hodges#8108 eat?
The diet of the Colona Moth - Hodges#8108 includes Larvae feed on a variety of plants, especially deciduous shrubs and trees: apple, ash, hackberry,.
When is Colona Moth - Hodges#8108 active?
Colona Moth - Hodges#8108: seasonal activity - April-July.