Myelopsis alatella - Hodges#5720
Myelopsis alatella
This record describes Myelopsis alatella (species). Recorded family: Pyralidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
A fairly large (8 - 13.5 mm) pale Phycitine with an overall silvery gray or pale buffy gray aspect and strongly oblique AM and PM lines on the forewings. Distinguished from the very similar congener Myelopsis minutulella by the lack of small buffy patches at the inner base of the forewings. Genitalia: ♀ ♂
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pyraloidea
- Family
- Pyralidae (Pyralid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Phycitinae
- Tribe
- Phycitini
- Genus
- Myelopsis
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Neunzig (MONA fasc. 15.3, p. 40) includes much of the western U.S. in the range, from Texas, Colorado, and Montana, west to California and Oregon. Moth Photographers Group - distribution & flight-period chart
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Myelopsis alatella. 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 Myelopsis alatella - Hodges#5720 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robert Lord Zimlich; Additional contributions by Chuck Sexton , Robert H. Biagi
Frequently Asked Questions About Myelopsis alatella - Hodges#5720
What is Myelopsis alatella - Hodges#5720?
Myelopsis alatella - Hodges#5720 (Myelopsis alatella) is a species in the family Pyralidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Myelopsis alatella - Hodges#5720?
A fairly large (8 - 13.5 mm) pale Phycitine with an overall silvery gray or pale buffy gray aspect and strongly oblique AM and PM lines on the forewings. Distinguished from the very similar congener Myelopsis minutulella by the lack of small buffy patches at the inner base of the forewings. Genitalia: ♀ ♂
Where is Myelopsis alatella - Hodges#5720 found?
Range: Neunzig (MONA fasc. 15.3, p. 40) includes much of the western U.S. in the range, from Texas, Colorado, and Montana, west to California and Oregon. Moth Photographers Group - distribution & flight-period chart