Haplotinea insectella
This record describes Haplotinea insectella (species). Recorded family: Tineidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan about 12 mm. A rather drab looking species. The forewings are of a pale ochre mottled with dark fuscous.R Determination by genitalia examination (gen. det.) required. Warehouses, granaries, mills and farm buildings. Larva feeds on dried goods, cereals, grain, rice, nuts, seeds, rotten wood, detritus, animal waste, fungi growing on tree trunks. A scarce and local species. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as Nationally Scarce B. No additional images available for this species.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Tineoidea
- Family
- Tineidae (Clothes Moths)
- Subfamily
- Myrmecozelinae
- Genus
- Haplotinea
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Warehouses, granaries, mills and farm buildings.
Seasonal Activity
Peak time is June to August.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
Larva feeds on dried goods, cereals, grain, rice, nuts, seeds, rotten wood, detritus, animal waste, fungi growing on tree trunks.
Additional species information
Recorded status
A scarce and local species. 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 Haplotinea insectella. 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.
Frequently Asked Questions About Haplotinea insectella
What is Haplotinea insectella?
Haplotinea insectella is a species in the family Tineidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Haplotinea insectella found?
Habitat: Warehouses, granaries, mills and farm buildings.
When is Haplotinea insectella active?
Haplotinea insectella: seasonal activity - Peak time is June to August..
What is the life cycle of a Haplotinea insectella?
Larva feeds on dried goods, cereals, grain, rice, nuts, seeds, rotten wood, detritus, animal waste, fungi growing on tree trunks.