Large Tabby
Aglossa pinguinalis
This record describes Aglossa pinguinalis (species). Recorded family: Pyralidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 29 to 38 mm. A dullish moth with a grey brown mottled appearance. An unusual species which inhabits buildings such as barns and warehouses, hiding in dark corners during the day. The adults fly between June and August, and occasionally visit light. The larvae feed amongst straw and chaff in buildings such as those mentioned under 'Habitat', as well as on sheep-dung. It occurs widely throughout the British Isles, but is less common than previously. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.
Wikipedia reference for Aglossa pinguinalis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aglossa pinguinalis.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pyraloidea
- Family
- Pyralidae (Pyralid Snout Moths)
- Subfamily
- Pyralinae
- Tribe
- Pyralini
- Genus
- Aglossa (Tabby Moths)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
An unusual species which inhabits buildings such as barns and warehouses, hiding in dark corners during the day.
Seasonal Activity
The adults fly between June and August, and occasionally visit light.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larvae feed amongst straw and chaff in buildings such as those mentioned under 'Habitat', as well as on sheep-dung.
Additional species information
Recorded status
It occurs widely throughout the British Isles, but is less common than previously. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Aglossa pinguinalis. 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 Large Tabby (5)
Frequently Asked Questions About Large Tabby
What is Large Tabby?
Large Tabby (Aglossa pinguinalis) is a species in the family Pyralidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Large Tabby found?
Habitat: An unusual species which inhabits buildings such as barns and warehouses, hiding in dark corners during the day.
When is Large Tabby active?
Large Tabby: seasonal activity - The adults fly between June and August, and occasionally visit light..
What is the life cycle of a Large Tabby?
The larvae feed amongst straw and chaff in buildings such as those mentioned under 'Habitat', as well as on sheep-dung.