Window-winged Moth - Hodges#6085
Meskea dyspteraria
This record describes Meskea dyspteraria (species). Recorded family: Thyrididae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Southeast United States at least from South Carolina to Florida and west to Texas. (*incomplete range likely) adults have interesting and distinctive resting position
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Thyridoidea
- Family
- Thyrididae (Window-winged Moths)
- Subfamily
- Siculodinae
- Genus
- Meskea
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
AZ, TX, AL-FL-SC - Map (MPG)
Diet and Behavior
Diet: larvae feed on several Mallow sp.
Life History
larvae bore into stems and form galls
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Meskea dyspteraria Grote, 1877
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Meskea dyspteraria. 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 Window-winged Moth - Hodges#6085 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by john and jane balaban; Additional contributions by Mike Quinn , Maury Heiman , Kyhl Austin
Frequently Asked Questions About Window-winged Moth - Hodges#6085
What is Window-winged Moth - Hodges#6085?
Window-winged Moth - Hodges#6085 (Meskea dyspteraria) is a species in the family Thyrididae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Window-winged Moth - Hodges#6085?
wingspan about 38 mm.
How do you identify Window-winged Moth - Hodges#6085?
Southeast United States at least from South Carolina to Florida and west to Texas. (*incomplete range likely)
Where is Window-winged Moth - Hodges#6085 found?
Range: AZ, TX, AL-FL-SC - Map (MPG)
What does Window-winged Moth - Hodges#6085 eat?
The diet of the Window-winged Moth - Hodges#6085 includes larvae feed on several Mallow sp..
What is the life cycle of a Window-winged Moth - Hodges#6085?
larvae bore into stems and form galls