Neohelvibotys polingi - Hodges#4979
Neohelvibotys polingi
This record describes Neohelvibotys polingi (species). Recorded family: Crambidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Capps described the adult, including the genitalia.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pyraloidea
- Family
- Crambidae (Crambid Snout Moths)
- Subfamily
- Pyraustinae
- Tribe
- Pyraustini
- Genus
- Neohelvibotys
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Capps identified specimens from Florida, Texas, and Arizona; Mexico. He also listed the type locality as Lakeland Florida.
Seasonal Activity
Capps reported April to September in the United States, and June to October in Mexico.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Capps reported the host plant is unknown.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Named in honor of ornithologist and entomologist Otho C. Poling (1879-1929) of Quincy, Illinois. Poling collected throughout the mountains and deserts of the American southwest, including California, southern Arizona, New Mexico, west Texas and Utah in two distinct periods (1900-1906 and 1922-1929). Many of his specimens were described by William Barnes and he had fourteen species of moths named for him.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Neohelvibotys polingi. 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 Neohelvibotys polingi - Hodges#4979 (4)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Randy Hardy , Steve Morris
Frequently Asked Questions About Neohelvibotys polingi - Hodges#4979
What is Neohelvibotys polingi - Hodges#4979?
Neohelvibotys polingi - Hodges#4979 (Neohelvibotys polingi) is a species in the family Crambidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Neohelvibotys polingi - Hodges#4979?
Capps listed the wingspan. ♂ 18-23 mm. ♀ 19-23 mm.
How do you identify Neohelvibotys polingi - Hodges#4979?
Capps described the adult, including the genitalia.
Where is Neohelvibotys polingi - Hodges#4979 found?
Range: Capps identified specimens from Florida, Texas, and Arizona; Mexico. He also listed the type locality as Lakeland Florida.
What does Neohelvibotys polingi - Hodges#4979 eat?
The diet of the Neohelvibotys polingi - Hodges#4979 includes Capps reported the host plant is unknown..
When is Neohelvibotys polingi - Hodges#4979 active?
Neohelvibotys polingi - Hodges#4979: seasonal activity - Capps reported April to September in the United States, and June to October in Mexico..