Idaea micropterata - Hodges#7119
Idaea micropterata
This record describes Idaea micropterata (species). Recorded family: Geometridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Identification notes
ID confirmed by Charlie Covell.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Geometroidea
- Family
- Geometridae (Geometrid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Sterrhinae
- Tribe
- Sterrhini
- Genus
- Idaea
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Florida to North Carolina and Texas. ( 3 ) , ( 4 ) Moth Photographers Group - large map with some distribution data.
Seasonal Activity
Heppner (2003) reported adults from March to July, December. ( 4 )
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larval host is unknown. ( 4 )
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Idaea micropterata. 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 Idaea micropterata - Hodges#7119 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman
Frequently Asked Questions About Idaea micropterata - Hodges#7119
How do you identify Idaea micropterata - Hodges#7119?
ID confirmed by Charlie Covell.
Where is Idaea micropterata - Hodges#7119 found?
Range: Florida to North Carolina and Texas. ( 3 ) , ( 4 ) Moth Photographers Group - large map with some distribution data.
What does Idaea micropterata - Hodges#7119 eat?
The diet of the Idaea micropterata - Hodges#7119 includes Larval host is unknown. ( 4 ).
When is Idaea micropterata - Hodges#7119 active?
Idaea micropterata - Hodges#7119: seasonal activity - Heppner (2003) reported adults from March to July, December. ( 4 ).