Keiferia glochinella - Hodges#2049
Keiferia glochinella
This record describes Keiferia glochinella (species). Recorded family: Gelechiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Keiferia glochinella is not distinguishable from Keiferia inconspicuella or Keiferia georgei by wing maculation. ( 3 ) Dissection or DNA to determine. - Specimen identified by DNA analysis (BOLD). ( 4 ) Listed as a pest species in California (2002), again due to confusion with Keiferia inconspicuella .
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Gelechioidea
- Family
- Gelechiidae (Twirler Moths)
- Subfamily
- Gelechiinae
- Tribe
- Gnorimoschemini
- Genus
- Keiferia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
California to Florida. ( 5 ) , ( 6 ) Moth Photographers Group - large map with some collection locations and dates.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae mine leaves of horsenettle ( Solanum carolinense ).
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Keiferia glochinella. 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 Keiferia glochinella - Hodges#2049 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by ceiseman
Frequently Asked Questions About Keiferia glochinella - Hodges#2049
What is Keiferia glochinella - Hodges#2049?
Keiferia glochinella - Hodges#2049 (Keiferia glochinella) is a species in the family Gelechiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Keiferia glochinella - Hodges#2049?
Keiferia glochinella is not distinguishable from Keiferia inconspicuella or Keiferia georgei by wing maculation. ( 3 ) Dissection or DNA to determine. - Specimen identified by DNA analysis (BOLD). ( 4 )
Where is Keiferia glochinella - Hodges#2049 found?
Range: California to Florida. ( 5 ) , ( 6 ) Moth Photographers Group - large map with some collection locations and dates.
What does Keiferia glochinella - Hodges#2049 eat?
The diet of the Keiferia glochinella - Hodges#2049 includes Larvae mine leaves of horsenettle ( Solanum carolinense )..