Loxostege lepidalis - Hodges#4995
Loxostege lepidalis
This record describes Loxostege lepidalis (species). Recorded family: Crambidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult - forewing a patchy mixture of white, black, and light yellowish-brown forming a distinctive pattern; terminal line a series of dark dashes; hindwing gray with partial whitish median band and yellowish-brown terminal band; fringe white or pale gray.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pyraloidea
- Family
- Crambidae (Crambid Snout Moths)
- Subfamily
- Pyraustinae
- Tribe
- Pyraustini
- Genus
- Loxostege
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Alberta prairies south to Wyoming, Washington, California and New Mexico. ,
Seasonal Activity
Adults fly June to August.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae found on possible greasewood.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Loxostege lepidalis. 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 Loxostege lepidalis - Hodges#4995 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Randy Hardy , Kyhl Austin
Frequently Asked Questions About Loxostege lepidalis - Hodges#4995
What is Loxostege lepidalis - Hodges#4995?
Loxostege lepidalis - Hodges#4995 (Loxostege lepidalis) is a species in the family Crambidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Loxostege lepidalis - Hodges#4995?
Forewing length 13-15 mm.
How do you identify Loxostege lepidalis - Hodges#4995?
Adult - forewing a patchy mixture of white, black, and light yellowish-brown forming a distinctive pattern; terminal line a series of dark dashes; hindwing gray with partial whitish median band and yellowish-brown terminal band; fringe white or pale gray.
Where is Loxostege lepidalis - Hodges#4995 found?
Range: Alberta prairies south to Wyoming, Washington, California and New Mexico. ,
What does Loxostege lepidalis - Hodges#4995 eat?
The diet of the Loxostege lepidalis - Hodges#4995 includes Larvae found on possible greasewood..
When is Loxostege lepidalis - Hodges#4995 active?
Loxostege lepidalis - Hodges#4995: seasonal activity - Adults fly June to August..