Lychnosea helveolaria - Hodges#6857
Lychnosea helveolaria
This record describes Lychnosea helveolaria (species). Recorded family: Geometridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Forewing median area is a bright yellowish orange in the females; males are a dull light yellow brown color. The species page at Moth Photographers Group has a side by side comparison of pinned a male and female.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Geometroidea
- Family
- Geometridae (Geometrid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Ennominae
- Tribe
- Ourapterygini
- Genus
- Lychnosea
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Arizona and New Mexico to Colorado. Hulst reported the holotype from "Colorado".
Seasonal Activity
Powell & Opler reported the flight period is late July to August.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larval host is unknown.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Lychnosea helveolaria. 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 Lychnosea helveolaria - Hodges#6857 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman
Frequently Asked Questions About Lychnosea helveolaria - Hodges#6857
What is Lychnosea helveolaria - Hodges#6857?
Lychnosea helveolaria - Hodges#6857 (Lychnosea helveolaria) is a species in the family Geometridae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Lychnosea helveolaria - Hodges#6857?
Powell & Opler listed the forewing length 14-18 mm. Hulst listed 17 mm.
How do you identify Lychnosea helveolaria - Hodges#6857?
Forewing median area is a bright yellowish orange in the females; males are a dull light yellow brown color. The species page at Moth Photographers Group has a side by side comparison of pinned a male and female.
Where is Lychnosea helveolaria - Hodges#6857 found?
Range: Arizona and New Mexico to Colorado. Hulst reported the holotype from Colorado.
What does Lychnosea helveolaria - Hodges#6857 eat?
The diet of the Lychnosea helveolaria - Hodges#6857 includes Larval host is unknown..
When is Lychnosea helveolaria - Hodges#6857 active?
Lychnosea helveolaria - Hodges#6857: seasonal activity - Powell & Opler reported the flight period is late July to August..