Sweetpotato leafroller - Hodges#5248
Lygropia tripunctata
This record describes Lygropia tripunctata (species). Recorded family: Crambidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Description summary: Wings light yellowish and iridescent. Dark grayish-brown band along the costa that continues along the outer margin of both forewing and hindwing, being widest at the apex. Two black spots along the costa with the larger one at the middle of the costa. The smaller spot is half way between the larger and the wing base. Postmedial line has thicker patch where it meets costa. Hindwing has dark discal spot.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pyraloidea
- Family
- Crambidae (Crambid Snout Moths)
- Subfamily
- Spilomelinae
- Tribe
- Agroterini
- Genus
- Lygropia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Texas to South Carolina and Florida. , , West Indies to Brazil. Moth Photographers Group - large map with some distribution data.
Seasonal Activity
Most records of adults are from March to October. ( 4 )
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larval hosts include: Turbina corymbosa (L.) Raf. (Christmasvine) Merremia umbellata (L.) Hallier f. (hogvine) Ipomoea spp.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Latin tripunctata meaning marked with three. This refers to the three dark marks along the forewing costa. ( 3 )
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Lygropia tripunctata. 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 Sweetpotato leafroller - Hodges#5248 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by Kyhl Austin
Frequently Asked Questions About Sweetpotato leafroller - Hodges#5248
What is Sweetpotato leafroller - Hodges#5248?
Sweetpotato leafroller - Hodges#5248 (Lygropia tripunctata) is a species in the family Crambidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Sweetpotato leafroller - Hodges#5248?
Wingspan about 26 mm ( 4 )
How do you identify Sweetpotato leafroller - Hodges#5248?
Description summary: Wings light yellowish and iridescent. Dark grayish-brown band along the costa that continues along the outer margin of both forewing and hindwing, being widest at the apex. Two black spots along the costa with the larger one at the middle of the costa. The smaller spot is half way between the larger and the wing base. Postmedial line has thicker patch where it meets costa. Hindwing has dark discal spot.
Where is Sweetpotato leafroller - Hodges#5248 found?
Range: Texas to South Carolina and Florida. , , West Indies to Brazil. Moth Photographers Group - large map with some distribution data.
What does Sweetpotato leafroller - Hodges#5248 eat?
The diet of the Sweetpotato leafroller - Hodges#5248 includes Larval hosts include: Turbina corymbosa (L.) Raf. (Christmasvine) Merremia umbellata (L.) Hallier f. (hogvine) Ipomoea spp..
When is Sweetpotato leafroller - Hodges#5248 active?
Sweetpotato leafroller - Hodges#5248: seasonal activity - Most records of adults are from March to October. ( 4 ).