Meroptera pravella - Hodges#5787
Meroptera pravella
This record describes Meroptera pravella (species). Recorded family: Pyralidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pyraloidea
- Family
- Pyralidae (Pyralid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Phycitinae
- Tribe
- Phycitini
- Genus
- Meroptera
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
across Canada and the adjacent states to British Columbia, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, and eastern Oregon
Seasonal Activity
Adults fly May to July
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae feed on aspen, Populus tremuloides , and other Salicaceae, rarely birch and alder
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Meroptera pravella. 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 Meroptera pravella - Hodges#5787 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Lynette Elliott; Additional contributions by Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Meroptera pravella - Hodges#5787
How big is Meroptera pravella - Hodges#5787?
forewing length 9 - 10 mm
Where is Meroptera pravella - Hodges#5787 found?
Range: across Canada and the adjacent states to British Columbia, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, and eastern Oregon
What does Meroptera pravella - Hodges#5787 eat?
The diet of the Meroptera pravella - Hodges#5787 includes Larvae feed on aspen, Populus tremuloides , and other Salicaceae, rarely birch and alder.
When is Meroptera pravella - Hodges#5787 active?
Meroptera pravella - Hodges#5787: seasonal activity - Adults fly May to July.