Lanceolate Helcystogramma - Hodges#2268
Helcystogramma hystricella
This record describes Helcystogramma hystricella (species). Recorded family: Gelechiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult - forewing slender with pointed apex; ground color whitish or pale gray with several dark stripes running length of wing; three dark spots arranged in a triangle in median area; top of thorax and inner margin of forewing near base shaded with brown; terminal line dark; fringe scales pale-based and dark-tipped. Hindwing uniformly whitish with long white fringe scales. See Braun's original description in Print References. Genitalia: Larva - see Braun's original description in Print References.
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
Geographic Range
Records from Minnesota to Pennsylvania, south to Maryland and Kentucky, west as far as Oklahoma and Kansas. , , Type locality: Cincinnati, Ohio.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae are leaf rollers on grasses, including eastern bottlebrush grass ( Elymus hystrix L., Poaceae). , ,
Life History
Larva overwinters in a rolled leaf on the host plant.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Specific name hystricella from the former generic name of the host plant Hystrix patula (= Elymus hystrix ).
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Helcystogramma hystricella. 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 Lanceolate Helcystogramma - Hodges#2268 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by anitagould , Randy Hardy , Robert H. Biagi
Frequently Asked Questions About Lanceolate Helcystogramma - Hodges#2268
What is Lanceolate Helcystogramma - Hodges#2268?
Lanceolate Helcystogramma - Hodges#2268 (Helcystogramma hystricella) is a species in the family Gelechiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Lanceolate Helcystogramma - Hodges#2268?
Wingspan about 13-15 mm. Total length 6-9 mm.
How do you identify Lanceolate Helcystogramma - Hodges#2268?
Adult - forewing slender with pointed apex; ground color whitish or pale gray with several dark stripes running length of wing; three dark spots arranged in a triangle in median area; top of thorax and inner margin of forewing near base shaded with brown; terminal line dark; fringe scales pale-based and dark-tipped. Hindwing uniformly whitish with long white fringe scales. See Braun's original description in Print References. Genitalia: Larva - see Braun's original description in Print References.
Where is Lanceolate Helcystogramma - Hodges#2268 found?
Range: Records from Minnesota to Pennsylvania, south to Maryland and Kentucky, west as far as Oklahoma and Kansas. , , Type locality: Cincinnati, Ohio.
What does Lanceolate Helcystogramma - Hodges#2268 eat?
The diet of the Lanceolate Helcystogramma - Hodges#2268 includes Larvae are leaf rollers on grasses, including eastern bottlebrush grass ( Elymus hystrix L., Poaceae). , ,.
What is the life cycle of a Lanceolate Helcystogramma - Hodges#2268?
Larva overwinters in a rolled leaf on the host plant.