Unarmed Wainscot - Hodges#10459
Leucania inermis
This record describes Leucania inermis (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult : FW grayish. Reniform present as a vague, pale spot with a distinct dark discal dot. Orbicular absent. PM and AM lines present, although irregular and not prominent. HW heavily suffused with gray-brown. Male prothoracic tibia without a large, massive tuft of hair. The similar species of Leucania inermis-ursula-pseudargyria species complex cannot be identified with certainty except by dissecting the male genitalia.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
- Subfamily
- Noctuinae
- Tribe
- Leucaniini
- Genus
- Leucania
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Northeast and mid-Atlantic states from Nova Scotia in the north to South Carolina in the south. The species is known from as far west as western Pennsylvania and western North Carolina.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: inermis is Latin for "unarmed, harmless"
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Leucania inermis. 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 Unarmed Wainscot - Hodges#10459 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by tom murray; Additional contributions by Chuck Entz , ceiseman , Robert Lord Zimlich , v belov
Frequently Asked Questions About Unarmed Wainscot - Hodges#10459
What is Unarmed Wainscot - Hodges#10459?
Unarmed Wainscot - Hodges#10459 (Leucania inermis) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Unarmed Wainscot - Hodges#10459?
WS ≈ 35mm
How do you identify Unarmed Wainscot - Hodges#10459?
Adult : FW grayish. Reniform present as a vague, pale spot with a distinct dark discal dot. Orbicular absent. PM and AM lines present, although irregular and not prominent. HW heavily suffused with gray-brown. Male prothoracic tibia without a large, massive tuft of hair.
Where is Unarmed Wainscot - Hodges#10459 found?
Range: Northeast and mid-Atlantic states from Nova Scotia in the north to South Carolina in the south. The species is known from as far west as western Pennsylvania and western North Carolina.