Orange-headed Monopis - Hodges#0421
Monopis spilotella
This record describes Monopis spilotella (species). Recorded family: Tineidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Head | Head pale orange-yellow, long haired (scaled). Palpi pale yellowish, long, folded; underside dark brown. Antenna: 1st half dark, rest lighter. |
| Thorax | Dark brown with a pale spot at tip. Wings: Blue-black. Smaller white triangular patch at mid wing along costa edge. Small semi-hyaline spot just above patch. Another smaller white patch on inner margin near wing tip (tornal or anal angle). Fringe brown with white flecks mixed in. Hind wings grey. |
| Legs | Mixed brown and white. Hind thigh (femora) feathered, white. Feet white. |
| Abdomen | Dark grey. Types: Holotype as Tinea biflavimaculella by Clemens, 1859. Locality: Unknown. In the United States National Museum, Smithsonian. |
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Tineoidea
- Family
- Tineidae (Clothes Moths)
- Subfamily
- Tineinae
- Genus
- Monopis
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Continental.
Seasonal Activity
May to September.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Debris, animal and vegetable matter, fungus.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Monopis spilotella. 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 Orange-headed Monopis - Hodges#0421 (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by John Davis; Additional contributions by lee_penner , Kyhl Austin , Steve Morris
Frequently Asked Questions About Orange-headed Monopis - Hodges#0421
What is Orange-headed Monopis - Hodges#0421?
Orange-headed Monopis - Hodges#0421 (Monopis spilotella) is a species in the family Tineidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Orange-headed Monopis - Hodges#0421?
8 to 10 mm. Wingspan 15 to 20 mm.
How do you identify Orange-headed Monopis - Hodges#0421?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Head | Head pale orange-yellow, long haired (scaled). Palpi pale yellowish, long, folded; underside dark brown. Antenna: 1st half dark, rest lighter. |
| Thorax | Dark brown with a pale spot at tip. Wings: Blue-black. Smaller white triangular patch at mid wing along costa edge. Small semi-hyaline spot just above patch. Another smaller white patch on inner margin near wing tip (tornal or anal angle). Fringe brown with white flecks mixed in. Hind wings grey. |
| Legs | Mixed brown and white. Hind thigh (femora) feathered, white. Feet white. |
| Abdomen | Dark grey. |
Where is Orange-headed Monopis - Hodges#0421 found?
Range: Continental.
What does Orange-headed Monopis - Hodges#0421 eat?
The diet of the Orange-headed Monopis - Hodges#0421 includes Debris, animal and vegetable matter, fungus..
When is Orange-headed Monopis - Hodges#0421 active?
Orange-headed Monopis - Hodges#0421: seasonal activity - May to September..