Soybean Webworm Moth - Hodges#2272
Mesophleps adustipennis
This record describes Mesophleps adustipennis (species). Recorded family: Gelechiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
From Wikipedia: The forewings are greyish white to yellowish brown, the distal three-fifths of the costa lined with a dark brown stripe, interrupted by an oblique pale line running from the distal fifth towards the termen.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Gelechioidea
- Family
- Gelechiidae (Twirler Moths)
- Subfamily
- Anacampsinae
- Tribe
- Anacampsini
- Genus
- Mesophleps
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
M. adustipennis is known only from the New World, from the southern USA south into Brazil, and from the Caribbean. Li and Sattler , p. 28, state that "it is not clear whether it really is an element of the native American fauna or an Old World introduction. It could have been inadvertently carried to the New World from India or Africa with some agricultural plant such as pigeon pea or Crotalaria . However, we have not been able to identify clear Old World adustipennis ."
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Landry & Roque-Albelo (2010) report the larvae have been reared from the fruits of white leadtree ( Leucaena leucocephala ) and mesquite ( Prosopis ).
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Specific epithet from Latin meaning "scorched wings."
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Mesophleps adustipennis. 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 Soybean Webworm Moth - Hodges#2272 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Jeff Hollenbeck; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Beatriz Moisset , ceiseman , Terry Harrison , Chuck Sexton , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Soybean Webworm Moth - Hodges#2272
What is Soybean Webworm Moth - Hodges#2272?
Soybean Webworm Moth - Hodges#2272 (Mesophleps adustipennis) is a species in the family Gelechiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Soybean Webworm Moth - Hodges#2272?
Landry & Roque-Albelo (2010) report the forewing as length 4.4-8.1 mm.
How do you identify Soybean Webworm Moth - Hodges#2272?
From Wikipedia: The forewings are greyish white to yellowish brown, the distal three-fifths of the costa lined with a dark brown stripe, interrupted by an oblique pale line running from the distal fifth towards the termen.
Where is Soybean Webworm Moth - Hodges#2272 found?
Range: M. adustipennis is known only from the New World, from the southern USA south into Brazil, and from the Caribbean. Li and Sattler , p. 28, state that it is not clear whether it really is an element of the native American fauna or an Old World introduction. It could have been inadvertently carried to the New World from India or Africa with some agricultural plant such as pigeon pea or Crotalaria . However, we have not been able to identify clear Old World adustipennis .
What does Soybean Webworm Moth - Hodges#2272 eat?
The diet of the Soybean Webworm Moth - Hodges#2272 includes Landry & Roque-Albelo (2010) report the larvae have been reared from the fruits of white leadtree ( Leucaena leucocephala ) and mesquite ( Prosopis )..