Freeman's Palpita Moth - Hodges#5225
Palpita freemanalis
This record describes Palpita freemanalis (species). Recorded family: Crambidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
This species has two rather sharply distinct forms. In one the ground color is gray and the dark markings fuscous; in the other the ground color is white and the dark markings bright orange. Intermediate forms sometimes occur. The gray form predominates in winter, the white one in summer. Type locality: USA, Texas.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pyraloidea
- Family
- Crambidae (Crambid Snout Moths)
- Subfamily
- Spilomelinae
- Tribe
- Margaroniini
- Genus
- Palpita
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Texas, Oklahoma to Maryland "Brian Scholtens hedged just a little due to Steve's location (a bit further north than available data indicated) while pointing positively to this species designation. Afterward, Bob Patterson found on Larry Line's website a specimen photo by John Glaser of a moth taken at Great Falls VA/MD, just upstream on the Potomac River from Washington, DC. This is about 100 miles north of Steve's locality, although many miles to the east of it. Finding moths a couple of hundred miles outside previously known range, especially in the case of species that are seldomly encountered, is not unusual".(John and Jane Balaban)
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Palpita freemanalis. 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 Freeman's Palpita Moth - Hodges#5225 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by john and jane balaban; Additional contributions by cotinis , Maury Heiman , Robert Lord Zimlich , Kyhl Austin
Frequently Asked Questions About Freeman's Palpita Moth - Hodges#5225
What is Freeman's Palpita Moth - Hodges#5225?
Freeman's Palpita Moth - Hodges#5225 (Palpita freemanalis) is a species in the family Crambidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Freeman's Palpita Moth - Hodges#5225?
wingspan about 20-22 mm
How do you identify Freeman's Palpita Moth - Hodges#5225?
This species has two rather sharply distinct forms. In one the ground color is gray and the dark markings fuscous; in the other the ground color is white and the dark markings bright orange. Intermediate forms sometimes occur. The gray form predominates in winter, the white one in summer.
Where is Freeman's Palpita Moth - Hodges#5225 found?
Range: Texas, Oklahoma to Maryland Brian Scholtens hedged just a little due to Steve's location (a bit further north than available data indicated) while pointing positively to this species designation. Afterward, Bob Patterson found on Larry Line's website a specimen photo by John Glaser of a moth taken at Great Falls VA/MD, just upstream on the Potomac River from Washington, DC. This is about 100 miles north of Steve's locality, although many miles to the east of it. Finding moths a couple of hundred miles outside previously known range, especially in the case of species that are seldomly encountered, is not unusual.(John and Jane Balaban)