Oegoconia quadripuncta

This record describes Oegoconia quadripuncta (species). Recorded family: Autostichidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.

Identification and Appearance

Oegoconia quadripuncta - Oegoconia quadripuncta

Oegoconia quadripuncta , Oegoconia caradjai and Oegoconia deauratella can only be reliably separated by genitalia dissection. Where this examination process has not been carried out records should be submitted as Oegoconia quadripuncta agg. The adults fly in July and August at night, when they can be attracted to light. The distribution of this species covers the south and south-east of England and Wales and reaches as far north as Lancashire. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common. No additional images available for this species.

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Autostichidae
Genus: Oegoconia

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

Habitat and Range

Habitat

Hedgerows and woodland.

Seasonal Activity

The adults fly in July and August at night, when they can be attracted to light.

Diet and Behavior

Life History

The larvae feed on leaf-litter

Additional species information

Recorded status

The distribution of this species covers the south and south-east of England and Wales and reaches as far north as Lancashire. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.

About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group

Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Oegoconia quadripuncta. 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.

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