White-dotted Wainscot - Hodges#10453.1
Leucania subpunctata
This record describes Leucania subpunctata (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult: forewing dark brownish-gray in male (lighter brown in female), with a diffuse dark line runs from the wing base to the white discal dot; slightly paler strip extends along length of costa but wing shows little overall contrast; a lighter triangular patch near the apex of the wing; PM line composed of either a continuous black zigzag line or a line of separate black dots; hindwing white in male (gray in female), with dark veins and pale fringe
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
Texas to Florida, north to Maryland and New York in the fall also represented through the neotropics to northern South America
Seasonal Activity
northern individuals are fall migrants; adults present year-round in Florida, Texas, and the tropics
Diet and Behavior
Diet: larvae feed on grasses and sedges
Life History
multiple generations per year in Florida, Texas, and the tropics
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Leucania subpunctata. 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 White-dotted Wainscot - Hodges#10453.1 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Maury Heiman , Chris Grinter
Frequently Asked Questions About White-dotted Wainscot - Hodges#10453.1
What is White-dotted Wainscot - Hodges#10453.1?
White-dotted Wainscot - Hodges#10453.1 (Leucania subpunctata) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is White-dotted Wainscot - Hodges#10453.1?
wingspan about 34-35 mm, based on two photos by Jim Vargo at MGP
How do you identify White-dotted Wainscot - Hodges#10453.1?
Adult: forewing dark brownish-gray in male (lighter brown in female), with a diffuse dark line runs from the wing base to the white discal dot; slightly paler strip extends along length of costa but wing shows little overall contrast; a lighter triangular patch near the apex of the wing; PM line composed of either a continuous black zigzag line or a line of separate black dots; hindwing white in male (gray in female), with dark veins and pale fringe
Where is White-dotted Wainscot - Hodges#10453.1 found?
Range: Texas to Florida, north to Maryland and New York in the fall also represented through the neotropics to northern South America
What does White-dotted Wainscot - Hodges#10453.1 eat?
The diet of the White-dotted Wainscot - Hodges#10453.1 includes larvae feed on grasses and sedges.
When is White-dotted Wainscot - Hodges#10453.1 active?
White-dotted Wainscot - Hodges#10453.1: seasonal activity - northern individuals are fall migrants; adults present year-round in Florida, Texas, and the tropics.
What is the life cycle of a White-dotted Wainscot - Hodges#10453.1?
multiple generations per year in Florida, Texas, and the tropics