Southern Hayworm Moth - Hodges#5531
Hypsopygia nostralis
This record describes Hypsopygia nostralis (species). Recorded family: Pyralidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pyraloidea
- Family
- Pyralidae (Pyralid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Pyralinae
- Tribe
- Pyralini
- Genus
- Hypsopygia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
North Carolina to Florida, Missouri to Texas; West Indies; Mexico to Brazil; Asia; St. Helena (Heppner 2003).
Seasonal Activity
January to December (Heppner 2003)
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Peanut and alfalfa hay (Heppner 2003).
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Hypsopygia nostralis. 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 Southern Hayworm Moth - Hodges#5531 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Charley Eiseman; Additional contributions by Maury Heiman , Chuck Sexton
Frequently Asked Questions About Southern Hayworm Moth - Hodges#5531
How big is Southern Hayworm Moth - Hodges#5531?
Wingspan of males 16 mm, females 17-20 mm (Dyar 1917).
Where is Southern Hayworm Moth - Hodges#5531 found?
Range: North Carolina to Florida, Missouri to Texas; West Indies; Mexico to Brazil; Asia; St. Helena (Heppner 2003).
What does Southern Hayworm Moth - Hodges#5531 eat?
The diet of the Southern Hayworm Moth - Hodges#5531 includes Peanut and alfalfa hay (Heppner 2003)..
When is Southern Hayworm Moth - Hodges#5531 active?
Southern Hayworm Moth - Hodges#5531: seasonal activity - January to December (Heppner 2003).