Slant-lined Owlet - Hodges#8357
Macrochilo absorptalis
This record describes Macrochilo absorptalis (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
♂ ♀ Common. In eastern US, may be confused with Macrochilo hypocritalis (which doesn't occur in Canada)
Identification notes
♂ ♀
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Erebidae
- Subfamily
- Herminiinae
- Genus
- Macrochilo
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
eastern two-thirds of US and adjacent parts of Canada (Nova Scotia to Saskatchewan)
Seasonal Activity
The adults are common from May to September. There is one generation per year in the north. There are two or more generations southward.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae have been reared on yellowed and withered sedge leaves.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Macrochilo absorptalis. 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 Slant-lined Owlet - Hodges#8357 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Tony-2 , Ted Kropiewnicki , Jay Greenberg , KenW , Robert H. Biagi
Frequently Asked Questions About Slant-lined Owlet - Hodges#8357
What is Slant-lined Owlet - Hodges#8357?
Slant-lined Owlet - Hodges#8357 (Macrochilo absorptalis) is a species in the family Erebidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Slant-lined Owlet - Hodges#8357?
wingspan ≈22 mm
How do you identify Slant-lined Owlet - Hodges#8357?
♂ ♀
Where is Slant-lined Owlet - Hodges#8357 found?
Range: eastern two-thirds of US and adjacent parts of Canada (Nova Scotia to Saskatchewan)
What does Slant-lined Owlet - Hodges#8357 eat?
The diet of the Slant-lined Owlet - Hodges#8357 includes Larvae have been reared on yellowed and withered sedge leaves..
When is Slant-lined Owlet - Hodges#8357 active?
Slant-lined Owlet - Hodges#8357: seasonal activity - The adults are common from May to September. There is one generation per year in the north. There are two or more generations southward..