Grote's Buck Moth - Hodges#7733
Hemileuca grotei
This record describes Hemileuca grotei (species). Recorded family: Saturniidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Although considered rare in the past, grotei can be locally abundant
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Bombycoidea
- Family
- Saturniidae (Giant Silkworm and Royal Moths)
- Subfamily
- Hemileucinae
- Tribe
- Hemileucini
- Genus
- Hemileuca
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
AZ to c. TX, CO - Map (MPG)
Seasonal Activity
One gen. / yr. Mature caterpillars in spring Flight period in Central Texas: Oct to early Dec.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Live Oak and other oaks (Kendall & Peigler 1981)
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Hemileuca grotei. 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 Grote's Buck Moth - Hodges#7733 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Ted Kropiewnicki; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Mike Quinn , Maury Heiman
Frequently Asked Questions About Grote's Buck Moth - Hodges#7733
What is Grote's Buck Moth - Hodges#7733?
Grote's Buck Moth - Hodges#7733 (Hemileuca grotei) is a species in the family Saturniidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Grote's Buck Moth - Hodges#7733 found?
Range: AZ to c. TX, CO - Map (MPG)
What does Grote's Buck Moth - Hodges#7733 eat?
The diet of the Grote's Buck Moth - Hodges#7733 includes Live Oak and other oaks (Kendall & Peigler 1981).
When is Grote's Buck Moth - Hodges#7733 active?
Grote's Buck Moth - Hodges#7733: seasonal activity - One gen. / yr. Mature caterpillars in spring Flight period in Central Texas: Oct to early Dec..