Lobesia abscisana
This record describes Lobesia abscisana (species). Recorded family: Tortricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 10-13 mm. A smallish moth with brown and white markings and darker than related species. Rough grassland where Creeping Thistle is present. The adults fly in May and again in July and August. Flying from dusk onwards, they are attracted to light. The larvae feed in spinnings on the shoots of Creeping Thistle. It is distributed mainly in the south and south-east of England, with some records from further north into Yorkshire and is generally not well recorded. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Family
- Tortricidae
- Genus
- Lobesia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Rough grassland where Creeping Thistle is present.
Seasonal Activity
The adults fly in May and again in July and August. Flying from dusk onwards, they are attracted to light.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larvae feed in spinnings on the shoots of Creeping Thistle.
Additional species information
Recorded status
It is distributed mainly in the south and south-east of England, with some records from further north into Yorkshire and is generally not well recorded. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Lobesia abscisana. 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 Lobesia abscisana (10)
Frequently Asked Questions About Lobesia abscisana
What is Lobesia abscisana?
Lobesia abscisana is a species in the family Tortricidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Lobesia abscisana found?
Habitat: Rough grassland where Creeping Thistle is present.
When is Lobesia abscisana active?
Lobesia abscisana: seasonal activity - The adults fly in May and again in July and August. Flying from dusk onwards, they are attracted to light..
What is the life cycle of a Lobesia abscisana?
The larvae feed in spinnings on the shoots of Creeping Thistle.