Letispe metanemaria - Hodges#6325
Letispe metanemaria
This record describes Letispe metanemaria (species). Recorded family: Geometridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Geometroidea
- Family
- Geometridae (Geometrid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Ennominae
- Tribe
- Macariini
- Genus
- Letispe
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Arizona and Utah, west to California and Oregon.
Seasonal Activity
Adults fly from March to November in the south, year round in southern Arizona.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larval hosts are all in Asteraceae: desertbroom ( Baccharis sarothroides ) coyote bush ( Baccharis pilularis ) false goldenaster ( Heterotheca )
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Letispe metanemaria. 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 Letispe metanemaria - Hodges#6325 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Maury Heiman , ceiseman , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Letispe metanemaria - Hodges#6325
How big is Letispe metanemaria - Hodges#6325?
Wingspan 29 mm.
Where is Letispe metanemaria - Hodges#6325 found?
Range: Arizona and Utah, west to California and Oregon.
What does Letispe metanemaria - Hodges#6325 eat?
The diet of the Letispe metanemaria - Hodges#6325 includes Larval hosts are all in Asteraceae: desertbroom ( Baccharis sarothroides ) coyote bush ( Baccharis pilularis ) false goldenaster ( Heterotheca ).
When is Letispe metanemaria - Hodges#6325 active?
Letispe metanemaria - Hodges#6325: seasonal activity - Adults fly from March to November in the south, year round in southern Arizona..