Crescent Plume
Marasmarcha lunaedactyla
This record describes Marasmarcha lunaedactyla (species). Recorded family: Pterophoridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 18 to 22 mm. This species is easily recognisable by the moon-shaped creamy-white marking at the cleft in the brownish forewing. It prefers dry habitats, such as downland, shingle beaches and sand-dunes. It flies from dusk onwards in late June and July. It is locally distributed in the south of England and Wales in suitable habitat. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Family
- Pterophoridae
- Genus
- Marasmarcha
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
It prefers dry habitats, such as downland, shingle beaches and sand-dunes.
Seasonal Activity
It flies from dusk onwards in late June and July.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larvae feed on rest-harrow.
Additional species information
Recorded status
It is locally distributed in the south of England and Wales in suitable habitat. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Marasmarcha lunaedactyla. 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 Crescent Plume (10)
Frequently Asked Questions About Crescent Plume
What is Crescent Plume?
Crescent Plume (Marasmarcha lunaedactyla) is a species in the family Pterophoridae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Crescent Plume found?
Habitat: It prefers dry habitats, such as downland, shingle beaches and sand-dunes.
When is Crescent Plume active?
Crescent Plume: seasonal activity - It flies from dusk onwards in late June and July..
What is the life cycle of a Crescent Plume?
The larvae feed on rest-harrow.