Linen Wainscot Moth - Hodges#10440
Leucania linita
This record describes Leucania linita (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult : Pale straw-colored FW is evenly striated with faint brown lines between veins. Darker brown central streak ends at black-edged white reniform dot. PM is a complete row of tiny dots. NOTE: In darker specimens, the discal dot is the same color as the rest of the wing and accented with dull black. a
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
MD to FL and TX.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Orchard grass
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Leucania linita. 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 Linen Wainscot Moth - Hodges#10440 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by tom murray; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Robert Lord Zimlich
Frequently Asked Questions About Linen Wainscot Moth - Hodges#10440
What is Linen Wainscot Moth - Hodges#10440?
Linen Wainscot Moth - Hodges#10440 (Leucania linita) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Linen Wainscot Moth - Hodges#10440?
18mm TL
How do you identify Linen Wainscot Moth - Hodges#10440?
Adult : Pale straw-colored FW is evenly striated with faint brown lines between veins. Darker brown central streak ends at black-edged white reniform dot. PM is a complete row of tiny dots. NOTE: In darker specimens, the discal dot is the same color as the rest of the wing and accented with dull black. a
Where is Linen Wainscot Moth - Hodges#10440 found?
Range: MD to FL and TX.
What does Linen Wainscot Moth - Hodges#10440 eat?
The diet of the Linen Wainscot Moth - Hodges#10440 includes Orchard grass.