Nemeris speciosa - Hodges#6876
Nemeris speciosa
This record describes Nemeris speciosa (species). Recorded family: Geometridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Identification notes
Adult description in PDF.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Geometroidea
- Family
- Geometridae (Geometrid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Ennominae
- Tribe
- Ourapterygini
- Genus
- Nemeris
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Colorado, Utah, northern Coconino County and the White Mountains of Arizona, New Mexico, and western Texas.
Seasonal Activity
Apparently with a single generation in Colorado, Utah, northern Coconino County and the White Mountains of Arizona, as the adults have been taken from late June into early August. The moths have been caught from May into September in New Mexico, and from March into October in western Texas; this indicates two or more broods per year in these states
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Author: Hulst, 1896
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Nemeris speciosa. 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 Nemeris speciosa - Hodges#6876 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Charley Eiseman; Additional contributions by Maury Heiman , Randy Hardy , Steve Morris
Frequently Asked Questions About Nemeris speciosa - Hodges#6876
How big is Nemeris speciosa - Hodges#6876?
forewing length 14 - 20 mm
How do you identify Nemeris speciosa - Hodges#6876?
Adult description in PDF.
Where is Nemeris speciosa - Hodges#6876 found?
Range: Colorado, Utah, northern Coconino County and the White Mountains of Arizona, New Mexico, and western Texas.
When is Nemeris speciosa - Hodges#6876 active?
Nemeris speciosa - Hodges#6876: seasonal activity - Apparently with a single generation in Colorado, Utah, northern Coconino County and the White Mountains of Arizona, as the adults have been taken from late June into early August. The moths have been caught from May into September in New Mexico, and from March into October in western Texas; this indicates two or more broods per year in these states.