Scale-feeding Snout Moth - Hodges#5949
Laetilia coccidivora
This record describes Laetilia coccidivora (species). Recorded family: Pyralidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Uses carminic acid acquired from its food as a defense against predators (Eisner et. al., 1994)
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pyraloidea
- Family
- Pyralidae (Pyralid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Phycitinae
- Tribe
- Phycitini
- Genus
- Laetilia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: larvae are predatory, feeding on the eggs and young of cochineal scale insects ( Dactylopius ), sometimes supplemented with cactus flowers (Mann, 1969).
Life History
See Comstock, 1879: 241
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Laetilia coccidivora. 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 Scale-feeding Snout Moth - Hodges#5949 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Natalie Hernandez; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Beatriz Moisset , Robert Lord Zimlich , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Scale-feeding Snout Moth - Hodges#5949
What is Scale-feeding Snout Moth - Hodges#5949?
Scale-feeding Snout Moth - Hodges#5949 (Laetilia coccidivora) is a species in the family Pyralidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Scale-feeding Snout Moth - Hodges#5949?
wingspan 10-18mm (Comstock, 1879) mature larvae to 12 mm (Comstock, 1879)
What does Scale-feeding Snout Moth - Hodges#5949 eat?
The diet of the Scale-feeding Snout Moth - Hodges#5949 includes larvae are predatory, feeding on the eggs and young of cochineal scale insects ( Dactylopius ), sometimes supplemented with cactus flowers (Mann, 1969)..
What is the life cycle of a Scale-feeding Snout Moth - Hodges#5949?
See Comstock, 1879: 241