Holly Tortrix
Rhopobota naevana
This record describes Rhopobota naevana (species). Recorded family: Tortricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 12-16mm. The shape is quite distinctive. Occupies a wide variety of habitats but often near to Holly. The adults are quite variable and fly between July and September, frequently coming to light. The larval foodplants include Holly and Bilberry among others. A fairly frequent species throughout the British Isles. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Tortricoidea
- Family
- Tortricidae (Tortricid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Olethreutinae
- Tribe
- Eucosmini
- Genus
- Rhopobota
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Occupies a wide variety of habitats but often near to Holly.
Seasonal Activity
The adults are quite variable and fly between July and September, frequently coming to light.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larval foodplants include Holly and Bilberry among others.
Additional species information
Recorded status
A fairly frequent species throughout the British Isles. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Rhopobota naevana. 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 Holly Tortrix (6)
Frequently Asked Questions About Holly Tortrix
What is Holly Tortrix?
Holly Tortrix (Rhopobota naevana) is a species in the family Tortricidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Holly Tortrix found?
Habitat: Occupies a wide variety of habitats but often near to Holly.
When is Holly Tortrix active?
Holly Tortrix: seasonal activity - The adults are quite variable and fly between July and September, frequently coming to light..
What is the life cycle of a Holly Tortrix?
The larval foodplants include Holly and Bilberry among others.