LepidopteraMegalopygidae – Flannel Moths

Norape sorpresa - Hodges#4650.1

Norape sorpresa

This record describes Norape sorpresa (species). Recorded family: Megalopygidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.

Identification and Appearance

Norape sorpresa - Hodges#4650.1 - Norape sorpresa
Contributed by Steve Nanz

Tarsi banded. All wings white with gray shade of basal half of the ventral forewing costa, lacking in similar species.

Classification

Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily
Zygaenoidea
Family
Megalopygidae (Flannel Moths)
Genus
Norape

Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.

Habitat and Range

Geographic Range

USA: Cochise, Pima, and Santa Cruz Cos., AZ. Mexico, Sonora. Holotype: USA: AZ: Pima Co., Santa Rita Experimental

Diet and Behavior

Diet: Host: Celtis reticulata (hackberry).

About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group

Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Norape sorpresa. 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.

Explore Lepidoptera families and species →

Photos of Norape sorpresa - Hodges#4650.1 (5)

Norape sorpresa - Hodges#4650.1 - photo 1
Contributed by Steve Nanz
Norape sorpresa - Hodges#4650.1 - photo 2
Contributed by Steve Nanz
Norape sorpresa - Hodges#4650.1 - photo 3
Contributed by Steve Nanz
Norape sorpresa - Hodges#4650.1 - photo 4
Contributed by Steve Nanz
Norape sorpresa - Hodges#4650.1 - photo 5
Contributed by Steve Nanz

Photo credits: Contributed by Steve Nanz

Frequently Asked Questions About Norape sorpresa - Hodges#4650.1

What is Norape sorpresa - Hodges#4650.1?

Norape sorpresa - Hodges#4650.1 (Norape sorpresa) is a species in the family Megalopygidae, within the order Lepidoptera.

How do you identify Norape sorpresa - Hodges#4650.1?

Tarsi banded. All wings white with gray shade of basal half of the ventral forewing costa, lacking in similar species.

Where is Norape sorpresa - Hodges#4650.1 found?

Range: USA: Cochise, Pima, and Santa Cruz Cos., AZ. Mexico, Sonora. Holotype: USA: AZ: Pima Co., Santa Rita Experimental

What does Norape sorpresa - Hodges#4650.1 eat?

The diet of the Norape sorpresa - Hodges#4650.1 includes Host: Celtis reticulata (hackberry)..

How we use and review source data. Source count does not imply independent verification.

Photo credits: Contributed by Steve Nanz. Contributors retain copyright over their individual contributions.