Fernald's Helcystogramma - Hodges#2267
Helcystogramma fernaldella
This record describes Helcystogramma fernaldella (species). Recorded family: Gelechiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult - forewing slender with pointed apex; ground color whitish or pale yellowish with several faint and indistinct stripes running length of wing; two dark spots in medial area. Hindwing pale grayish, slightly darker near outermargin, with long white fringe scales.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Gelechioidea
- Family
- Gelechiidae (Twirler Moths)
- Subfamily
- Dichomeridinae
- Genus
- Helcystogramma
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Fields, meadows, grasslands; adults attracted to light.
Geographic Range
Alaska, Yukon, and Alberta, east across Canada and northern United States to New Brunswick and New England. , , Holotype ♂ collected Orona, Maine (no date).
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae feed on grasses.
Life History
Overwinters as a larva.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Named in honor of Charles H. Fernald, a 19th century entomologist at the University of Massachusetts who did pioneering studies on Lymantria dispar , the Spongy Moth, and described a number of species of micro-moths.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Helcystogramma fernaldella. 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 Fernald's Helcystogramma - Hodges#2267 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by anitagould , marcie oconnor , Randy Hardy , PaleoJon
Frequently Asked Questions About Fernald's Helcystogramma - Hodges#2267
What is Fernald's Helcystogramma - Hodges#2267?
Fernald's Helcystogramma - Hodges#2267 (Helcystogramma fernaldella) is a species in the family Gelechiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Fernald's Helcystogramma - Hodges#2267?
Wingspan about 16-18 mm.
How do you identify Fernald's Helcystogramma - Hodges#2267?
Adult - forewing slender with pointed apex; ground color whitish or pale yellowish with several faint and indistinct stripes running length of wing; two dark spots in medial area. Hindwing pale grayish, slightly darker near outermargin, with long white fringe scales.
Where is Fernald's Helcystogramma - Hodges#2267 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Fields, meadows, grasslands; adults attracted to light. |
| Range | Alaska, Yukon, and Alberta, east across Canada and northern United States to New Brunswick and New England. , , Holotype ♂ collected Orona, Maine (no date). |
What does Fernald's Helcystogramma - Hodges#2267 eat?
The diet of the Fernald's Helcystogramma - Hodges#2267 includes Larvae feed on grasses..
What is the life cycle of a Fernald's Helcystogramma - Hodges#2267?
Overwinters as a larva.