Common Hyppa - Hodges#9578
Hyppa xylinoides
This record describes Hyppa xylinoides (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult: antennae bipectinate with broad branches in male, simple in female; forewing gray with black AM and PM lines edged with white toward inner margin; note black basal and median dashes; brown shading just above median dash; hindwing grayish-brown [description by Charles Covell] In Hyppa xylinoides (comparing to H. contrasta), the antennae appear more plumose, because the anterior branches are about 2.5 × the width of the shaft and the posterior branches are 1-1.5 ×, so they add up to a broader look. The larva is considered to be a pest of cranberries. It is one of several species called cranberry cutworms.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
- Subfamily
- Noctuinae
- Tribe
- Xylenini
- Genus
- Hyppa
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
New England and Nova Scotia westward to Manitoba and southward mainly in the Appalachians to northern Georgia
Seasonal Activity
double-brooded: adults fly from early May to early July, and again from late July to late September
Diet and Behavior
Diet: larvae feed on leaves of alder, clover, cranberry, rose, St. Johnswort ( Hypericum spp.), and other plants
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Hyppa xylinoides. 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 Common Hyppa - Hodges#9578 (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Tony-2 , Jay Greenberg , marcie oconnor , JoAnneRusso
Frequently Asked Questions About Common Hyppa - Hodges#9578
What is Common Hyppa - Hodges#9578?
Common Hyppa - Hodges#9578 (Hyppa xylinoides) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Common Hyppa - Hodges#9578?
wingspan 33-42 mm
How do you identify Common Hyppa - Hodges#9578?
Adult: antennae bipectinate with broad branches in male, simple in female; forewing gray with black AM and PM lines edged with white toward inner margin; note black basal and median dashes; brown shading just above median dash; hindwing grayish-brown [description by Charles Covell] In Hyppa xylinoides (comparing to H. contrasta), the antennae appear more plumose, because the anterior branches are about 2.5 × the width of the shaft and the posterior branches are 1-1.5 ×, so they add up to a broader look.
Where is Common Hyppa - Hodges#9578 found?
Range: New England and Nova Scotia westward to Manitoba and southward mainly in the Appalachians to northern Georgia
What does Common Hyppa - Hodges#9578 eat?
The diet of the Common Hyppa - Hodges#9578 includes larvae feed on leaves of alder, clover, cranberry, rose, St. Johnswort ( Hypericum spp.), and other plants.
When is Common Hyppa - Hodges#9578 active?
Common Hyppa - Hodges#9578: seasonal activity - double-brooded: adults fly from early May to early July, and again from late July to late September.