Groundsel Plume Moth - Hodges#6210
Hellinsia balanotes
This record describes Hellinsia balanotes (species). Recorded family: Pterophoridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pterophoroidea
- Family
- Pterophoridae (Plume Moths)
- Subfamily
- Pterophorinae
- Tribe
- Oidaematophorini
- Genus
- Hellinsia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Coastal US north to Block Island, also scattered records from Southwest and adjacent Mexico. Introduced to Australia for weed control
Diet and Behavior
Diet: larval foodplant: Groundsel Bush - Baccharis halimifolia also feeds on Great-Plains Falsewillow Baccharis salicina Roosevelt Weed - Baccharis neglecta Saltwater Falsewillow - Baccharis angustifolia
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Author: Meyrick, 1908
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Hellinsia balanotes. 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 Groundsel Plume Moth - Hodges#6210 (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by john and jane balaban; Additional contributions by Maury Heiman , Robert Lord Zimlich , Blocky
Frequently Asked Questions About Groundsel Plume Moth - Hodges#6210
How big is Groundsel Plume Moth - Hodges#6210?
wingspan: 32-45mm
Where is Groundsel Plume Moth - Hodges#6210 found?
Range: Coastal US north to Block Island, also scattered records from Southwest and adjacent Mexico. Introduced to Australia for weed control
What does Groundsel Plume Moth - Hodges#6210 eat?
The diet of the Groundsel Plume Moth - Hodges#6210 includes larval foodplant: Groundsel Bush - Baccharis halimifolia also feeds on Great-Plains Falsewillow Baccharis salicina Roosevelt Weed - Baccharis neglecta Saltwater Falsewillow - Baccharis angustifolia.