Heliothis australis - Hodges#11072.2
Heliothis australis
This record describes Heliothis australis (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
The Hardwick description of the adult, including genitalia, is available in PDF.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
- Subfamily
- Heliothinae
- Genus
- Heliothis
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Hardwick reported the range to include southern New Mexico and Arizona to Chiapas in southern Mexico. Holotype, ♂ from San Cristobal de las Casas, 7200 ft., Chiapas, Mexico, 5-V-1969, collector J.E.H. Martin, in the Canadian National Collection (CNC).
Seasonal Activity
Hardwick reported the adults fly from early May to mid-October.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Heliothis australis. 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 Heliothis australis - Hodges#11072.2 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman
Frequently Asked Questions About Heliothis australis - Hodges#11072.2
What is Heliothis australis - Hodges#11072.2?
Heliothis australis - Hodges#11072.2 (Heliothis australis) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Heliothis australis - Hodges#11072.2?
Hardwick listed the wingspan as 37.2 ± 2.46 mm. n = 17, n= the number of specimens studied.
How do you identify Heliothis australis - Hodges#11072.2?
The Hardwick description of the adult, including genitalia, is available in PDF.
Where is Heliothis australis - Hodges#11072.2 found?
Range: Hardwick reported the range to include southern New Mexico and Arizona to Chiapas in southern Mexico. Holotype, ♂ from San Cristobal de las Casas, 7200 ft., Chiapas, Mexico, 5-V-1969, collector J.E.H. Martin, in the Canadian National Collection (CNC).
When is Heliothis australis - Hodges#11072.2 active?
Heliothis australis - Hodges#11072.2: seasonal activity - Hardwick reported the adults fly from early May to mid-October..