Leucomele miriamella - Hodges#0282
Leucomele miriamella
This record describes Leucomele miriamella (species). Recorded family: Tineidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Head | Top of head rough haired (scaled), face yellowish-white. Palpi long, folded, mostly dark. Antenna: Dark, simple, thick; over half as long as wing. |
| Thorax | Dark purplish-brown. Underside silvery-gray. Wings: Dark brown with patches of white scales. Two white streaks from base to mid wing, lower one wide and straight, upper one narrow, slanted. Mid wing costa edge has a divided white mark; more large white dashes around wing tip. Inner margin has vague white scales and a small patch at anal angle. Fringes striped white, brown, white; brown dots also mixed in. Hindwings and fringe grayish-brown, shiny. |
| Legs | Striped brown and white. Hind shins (tibiae) fringed with long white hairs. |
| Abdomen | Brownish-gray on top side, silvery gray on underside. The original description of Leucomele miriamella Dietz, is available online in the print references below. Forbes description. Genitalia: Types: Syntype Leucomele miriamella (4 males, 2 females) by Dietz, 1905. MCZ#2854. Locality: Maryland and Pennsylvania. In the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge, Mass. Two additional male syntypes in US National Museum and one male syntype in British Museum Natural History. |
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Tineoidea
- Family
- Tineidae (Clothes Moths)
- Subfamily
- Tineinae
- Genus
- Leucomele
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Usually found on tree trunks like Black Cherry.
Geographic Range
Scattered records in eastern North America. , Moth Photographers Group - large map with some distribution data.
Seasonal Activity
The adults are most common from June to August.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Debris, fungus, rotted animal and vegetation.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Dietz named the species in honor of his daughter.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Leucomele miriamella. 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 Leucomele miriamella - Hodges#0282 (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by lee_penner , Robert H. Biagi
Frequently Asked Questions About Leucomele miriamella - Hodges#0282
What is Leucomele miriamella - Hodges#0282?
Leucomele miriamella - Hodges#0282 (Leucomele miriamella) is a species in the family Tineidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Leucomele miriamella - Hodges#0282?
Dietz listed the wingspan as 9.5-13 mm. 5 to 6 mm long.
How do you identify Leucomele miriamella - Hodges#0282?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Head | Top of head rough haired (scaled), face yellowish-white. Palpi long, folded, mostly dark. Antenna: Dark, simple, thick; over half as long as wing. |
| Thorax | Dark purplish-brown. Underside silvery-gray. Wings: Dark brown with patches of white scales. Two white streaks from base to mid wing, lower one wide and straight, upper one narrow, slanted. Mid wing costa edge has a divided white mark; more large white dashes around wing tip. Inner margin has vague white scales and a small patch at anal angle. Fringes striped white, brown, white; brown dots also mixed in. Hindwings and fringe grayish-brown, shiny. |
| Legs | Striped brown and white. Hind shins (tibiae) fringed with long white hairs. |
| Abdomen | Brownish-gray on top side, silvery gray on underside. The original description of Leucomele miriamella Dietz, is available online in the print references below. Forbes description. Genitalia: |
Where is Leucomele miriamella - Hodges#0282 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Usually found on tree trunks like Black Cherry. |
| Range | Scattered records in eastern North America. , Moth Photographers Group - large map with some distribution data. |
What does Leucomele miriamella - Hodges#0282 eat?
The diet of the Leucomele miriamella - Hodges#0282 includes Debris, fungus, rotted animal and vegetation..
When is Leucomele miriamella - Hodges#0282 active?
Leucomele miriamella - Hodges#0282: seasonal activity - The adults are most common from June to August..