Meganola fuscula - Hodges#8985
Meganola fuscula
This record describes Meganola fuscula (species). Recorded family: Nolidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Grote (1881) original description as Nola fuscula is available online in the print references. Specimen identified by DNA analysis (BOLD). ( 4 )
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Nolidae (Nolid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Nolinae
- Genus
- Meganola
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Central and southern California to Colorado and central Texas. ( 5 ) , ( 6 ) , ( 7 ) , ( 8 ) , ( 3 )
Seasonal Activity
Adults are most common from January to September. (several flights). ( 8 ) , ( 3 )
Diet and Behavior
Diet: The larval host is unknown.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Meganola fuscula. 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 Meganola fuscula - Hodges#8985 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman
Frequently Asked Questions About Meganola fuscula - Hodges#8985
What is Meganola fuscula - Hodges#8985?
Meganola fuscula - Hodges#8985 (Meganola fuscula) is a species in the family Nolidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Meganola fuscula - Hodges#8985?
Forewing length 10-12 mm. ( 3 )
How do you identify Meganola fuscula - Hodges#8985?
Grote (1881) original description as Nola fuscula is available online in the print references. Specimen identified by DNA analysis (BOLD). ( 4 )
Where is Meganola fuscula - Hodges#8985 found?
Range: Central and southern California to Colorado and central Texas. ( 5 ) , ( 6 ) , ( 7 ) , ( 8 ) , ( 3 )
What does Meganola fuscula - Hodges#8985 eat?
The diet of the Meganola fuscula - Hodges#8985 includes The larval host is unknown..
When is Meganola fuscula - Hodges#8985 active?
Meganola fuscula - Hodges#8985: seasonal activity - Adults are most common from January to September. (several flights). ( 8 ) , ( 3 ).