Monochroa cytisella
This record describes Monochroa cytisella (species). Recorded family: Gelechiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Where bracken is present and perhaps preferring sheltered sunny sites. A single-brooded species, flying in July, and sometimes coming to light. The colourful larva feeds May - June in a slight gall in the main stem of bracken, often withering an adjacent side stem. Widespread in England and Wales in areas where its foodplant, bracken occurs. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local. No additional images available for this species.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Family
- Gelechiidae
- Genus
- Monochroa
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Where bracken is present and perhaps preferring sheltered sunny sites.
Seasonal Activity
A single-brooded species, flying in July, and sometimes coming to light.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The colourful larva feeds May - June in a slight gall in the main stem of bracken, often withering an adjacent side stem.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Widespread in England and Wales in areas where its foodplant, bracken occurs. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Monochroa cytisella. 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.
Frequently Asked Questions About Monochroa cytisella
What is Monochroa cytisella?
Monochroa cytisella is a species in the family Gelechiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Monochroa cytisella found?
Habitat: Where bracken is present and perhaps preferring sheltered sunny sites.
When is Monochroa cytisella active?
Monochroa cytisella: seasonal activity - A single-brooded species, flying in July, and sometimes coming to light..
What is the life cycle of a Monochroa cytisella?
The colourful larva feeds May - June in a slight gall in the main stem of bracken, often withering an adjacent side stem.