Orange Swift
Triodia sylvina
This record describes Triodia sylvina (species). Recorded family: Hepialidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 32-48 mm. The moth exhibits marked sexual dimorphism, the males being smaller and more brightly coloured than the females. This species inhabits gardens, woodland and rough grassland, roadside verges, moorland and other wild places. Flying later in the year than the other swifts, from July to September. In common with other members of the genus, the larvae feed on the roots of a variety of plants.
Wikipedia reference for Triodia sylvina: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triodia sylvina.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Hepialoidea
- Family
- Hepialidae (Swift Moths)
- Genus
- Triodia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
This species inhabits gardens, woodland and rough grassland, roadside verges, moorland and other wild places.
Seasonal Activity
Flying later in the year than the other swifts, from July to September.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
In common with other members of the genus, the larvae feed on the roots of a variety of plants.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Quite common throughout Britain.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Triodia sylvina. 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 Orange Swift (9)
Frequently Asked Questions About Orange Swift
What is Orange Swift?
Orange Swift (Triodia sylvina) is a species in the family Hepialidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Orange Swift found?
Habitat: This species inhabits gardens, woodland and rough grassland, roadside verges, moorland and other wild places.
When is Orange Swift active?
Orange Swift: seasonal activity - Flying later in the year than the other swifts, from July to September..
What is the life cycle of a Orange Swift?
In common with other members of the genus, the larvae feed on the roots of a variety of plants.