LepidopteraTineidae – Clothes Moths

Hypoplesia dietziella - Hodges#0321

Hypoplesia dietziella

This record describes Hypoplesia dietziella (species). Recorded family: Tineidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.

Identification and Appearance

Hypoplesia dietziella - Hodges#0321 - Hypoplesia dietziella
Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by Randy Hardy

The original description is available online in the print references below.

Classification

Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily
Tineoidea
Family
Tineidae (Clothes Moths)
Subfamily
Tineinae
Genus
Hypoplesia

Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.

Habitat and Range

Geographic Range

California to Washington. ( 4 )

Seasonal Activity

Adults are most common from June to August.

Additional species information

Species notes from the sources

Etymology: Specific epithet in honor of Dr. William G. Dietz (1848-1932), "who very recently revised the very difficult group to which this species belongs." Born in Germany, he emigrated to the United States after the Franco-Prussian War. Dietz was a physician and amateur entomologist, specializing in beetles, especially weevils, but also in lepidoptera.

About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group

Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Hypoplesia dietziella. 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Hypoplesia dietziella - Hodges#0321

What is Hypoplesia dietziella - Hodges#0321?

Hypoplesia dietziella - Hodges#0321 (Hypoplesia dietziella) is a species in the family Tineidae, within the order Lepidoptera.

How big is Hypoplesia dietziella - Hodges#0321?

Wingspan 16-20 mm.

How do you identify Hypoplesia dietziella - Hodges#0321?

The original description is available online in the print references below.

Where is Hypoplesia dietziella - Hodges#0321 found?

Range: California to Washington. ( 4 )

When is Hypoplesia dietziella - Hodges#0321 active?

Hypoplesia dietziella - Hodges#0321: seasonal activity - Adults are most common from June to August..

How we use and review source data. Source count does not imply independent verification.

Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by Randy Hardy. Contributors retain copyright over their individual contributions.