Royal Poinciana Moth - Hodges#8610
Melipotis acontioides
This record describes Melipotis acontioides (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Erebidae
- Subfamily
- Erebinae
- Tribe
- Melipotini
- Genus
- Melipotis
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
s. CA to FL / W. Indies - Map
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larval host in Arizona is blue palo verde ( Parkisonia florida ) (Moths of Southeastern Arizona) and Jerusalem thorn ( Parkinsonia aculeata ) in Texas.
Life History
Larvae feed at night and pupate in loose cocoons in leaf litter (Sonoran Desert Naturalist).
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Melipotis acontioides. 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 Royal Poinciana Moth - Hodges#8610 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Jason D. Roberts; Additional contributions by Mike Quinn , Maury Heiman , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Royal Poinciana Moth - Hodges#8610
How big is Royal Poinciana Moth - Hodges#8610?
Wingspan about 43 mm.
Where is Royal Poinciana Moth - Hodges#8610 found?
Range: s. CA to FL / W. Indies - Map
What does Royal Poinciana Moth - Hodges#8610 eat?
The diet of the Royal Poinciana Moth - Hodges#8610 includes Larval host in Arizona is blue palo verde ( Parkisonia florida ) (Moths of Southeastern Arizona) and Jerusalem thorn ( Parkinsonia aculeata ) in Texas..
What is the life cycle of a Royal Poinciana Moth - Hodges#8610?
Larvae feed at night and pupate in loose cocoons in leaf litter (Sonoran Desert Naturalist).