Mung Moth
Maruca vitrata
This record describes Maruca vitrata (species). Recorded family: Crambidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 28 to 34 mm. A distinctive species. A rare species in VC55. Please provide a photograph and retain moth until identification is confirmed. A very rare vagrant or adventive species, possibly imported from the Tropics in leguminous vegetables. Probably most likely to be recorded in summer or autumn, but could possibly occur at any time of year. Abroad, it is a pest of leguminous plants, where the larvae bore into the pods. There have only been a handful of records in Britain, mainly in southern England, but also recorded as far north as Cheshire. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as migrant.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pyraloidea
- Family
- Crambidae (Crambid Snout Moths)
- Subfamily
- Spilomelinae
- Tribe
- Margaroniini
- Genus
- Maruca
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
A very rare vagrant or adventive species, possibly imported from the Tropics in leguminous vegetables.
Seasonal Activity
Probably most likely to be recorded in summer or autumn, but could possibly occur at any time of year.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
Abroad, it is a pest of leguminous plants, where the larvae bore into the pods.
Additional species information
Recorded status
There have only been a handful of records in Britain, mainly in southern England, but also recorded as far north as Cheshire. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as migrant.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Maruca vitrata. 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 Mung Moth
What is Mung Moth?
Mung Moth (Maruca vitrata) is a species in the family Crambidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Mung Moth found?
Habitat: A very rare vagrant or adventive species, possibly imported from the Tropics in leguminous vegetables.
When is Mung Moth active?
Mung Moth: seasonal activity - Probably most likely to be recorded in summer or autumn, but could possibly occur at any time of year..
What is the life cycle of a Mung Moth?
Abroad, it is a pest of leguminous plants, where the larvae bore into the pods.