Nepytia swetti - Hodges#6905
Nepytia swetti
This record describes Nepytia swetti (species). Recorded family: Geometridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Geometroidea
- Family
- Geometridae (Geometrid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Ennominae
- Tribe
- Ourapterygini
- Genus
- Nepytia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Arizona to Utah and western Texas. Moth Photographers Group map
Seasonal Activity
Adults fly May through October.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larval host is unknown.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Nepytia swetti. 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 Nepytia swetti - Hodges#6905 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Nepytia swetti - Hodges#6905
How big is Nepytia swetti - Hodges#6905?
Wingspan about 33 mm.
Where is Nepytia swetti - Hodges#6905 found?
Range: Arizona to Utah and western Texas. Moth Photographers Group map
What does Nepytia swetti - Hodges#6905 eat?
The diet of the Nepytia swetti - Hodges#6905 includes Larval host is unknown..
When is Nepytia swetti - Hodges#6905 active?
Nepytia swetti - Hodges#6905: seasonal activity - Adults fly May through October..