Little Carol's Wasp Moth - Hodges#8271
Nelphe carolina
This record describes Nelphe carolina (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Edwards (1886) original description is available online in the print references.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Erebidae
- Subfamily
- Arctiinae
- Tribe
- Arctiini
- Genus
- Nelphe
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Florida, South Texas / Mexico , ,
Seasonal Activity
Adults have been recorded every month in Florida. ,
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larval host is swallow-wort ( Cynanchum , Asclepiadaceae) ( 3 )
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Nelphe carolina. 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 Little Carol's Wasp Moth - Hodges#8271 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by Mike Quinn
Frequently Asked Questions About Little Carol's Wasp Moth - Hodges#8271
What is Little Carol's Wasp Moth - Hodges#8271?
Little Carol's Wasp Moth - Hodges#8271 (Nelphe carolina) is a species in the family Erebidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Little Carol's Wasp Moth - Hodges#8271?
Wingspan 31-34 mm.
How do you identify Little Carol's Wasp Moth - Hodges#8271?
Edwards (1886) original description is available online in the print references.
Where is Little Carol's Wasp Moth - Hodges#8271 found?
Range: Florida, South Texas / Mexico , ,
What does Little Carol's Wasp Moth - Hodges#8271 eat?
The diet of the Little Carol's Wasp Moth - Hodges#8271 includes Larval host is swallow-wort ( Cynanchum , Asclepiadaceae) ( 3 ).
When is Little Carol's Wasp Moth - Hodges#8271 active?
Little Carol's Wasp Moth - Hodges#8271: seasonal activity - Adults have been recorded every month in Florida. ,.