Black Arches - Hodges#10295
Melanchra assimilis
This record describes Melanchra assimilis (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult: forewing dark blackish-brown with black lines and spots faint or inconspicuous; subterminal line a series of whitish dots, broadening to form a wavy white mark at anal angle; hindwing shiny yellowish-white with blackish veins, discal spot, and double border. Larva: either green or brown with broad yellow stripes. Subdorsal stripe edged with white and black; spiracular stripe with reduced black edging below. Spiracles white, ringed in black. Head green or brown with short yellow line through uppermost eyes.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
- Subfamily
- Noctuinae
- Tribe
- Hadenini
- Genus
- Melanchra
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
British Columbia to Nova Scotia, south to Virginia, west to Minnesota
Seasonal Activity
adults fly from June to August
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae feed on bracken, sweetfern, goldenrod, st. johnswort, alder, ash, birch, willow. Wagner also lists aster, goldenrod, mullein, raspberry, and tamarack and concludes: "primarily a generalist on low-growing plants."
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Melanchra assimilis. 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 Black Arches - Hodges#10295 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Hannah Nendick-Mason , Tony-2 , Ethan Kistler , marcie oconnor , Steve Morris
Frequently Asked Questions About Black Arches - Hodges#10295
What is Black Arches - Hodges#10295?
Black Arches - Hodges#10295 (Melanchra assimilis) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Black Arches - Hodges#10295?
wingspan 30-40 mm
How do you identify Black Arches - Hodges#10295?
Adult: forewing dark blackish-brown with black lines and spots faint or inconspicuous; subterminal line a series of whitish dots, broadening to form a wavy white mark at anal angle; hindwing shiny yellowish-white with blackish veins, discal spot, and double border. Larva: either green or brown with broad yellow stripes. Subdorsal stripe edged with white and black; spiracular stripe with reduced black edging below. Spiracles white, ringed in black. Head green or brown with short yellow line through uppermost eyes.
Where is Black Arches - Hodges#10295 found?
Range: British Columbia to Nova Scotia, south to Virginia, west to Minnesota
What does Black Arches - Hodges#10295 eat?
The diet of the Black Arches - Hodges#10295 includes Larvae feed on bracken, sweetfern, goldenrod, st. johnswort, alder, ash, birch, willow. Wagner also lists aster, goldenrod, mullein, raspberry, and tamarack and concludes: primarily a generalist on low-growing plants..
When is Black Arches - Hodges#10295 active?
Black Arches - Hodges#10295: seasonal activity - adults fly from June to August.