Pammene aurana
This record describes Pammene aurana (species). Recorded family: Tortricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 9-13 mm. A very distinctive species, having two orange blotches on a chocolate brown forewing. Hedgerows, rough ground and woodland edges, favouring Hogweed. Flying in June and July, the moths can be found in the afternoons on the flowers of the foodplant, Hogweed. The larvae spin seeds of Hogweed together and feed on the seeds inside the spinning. It is distributed throughout Britain and Ireland. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Family
- Tortricidae
- Genus
- Pammene
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Hedgerows, rough ground and woodland edges, favouring Hogweed.
Seasonal Activity
Flying in June and July, the moths can be found in the afternoons on the flowers of the foodplant, Hogweed.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larvae spin seeds of Hogweed together and feed on the seeds inside the spinning.
Additional species information
Recorded status
It is distributed throughout Britain and Ireland. 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 Pammene aurana. 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 Pammene aurana (10)
Frequently Asked Questions About Pammene aurana
What is Pammene aurana?
Pammene aurana is a species in the family Tortricidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Pammene aurana found?
Habitat: Hedgerows, rough ground and woodland edges, favouring Hogweed.
When is Pammene aurana active?
Pammene aurana: seasonal activity - Flying in June and July, the moths can be found in the afternoons on the flowers of the foodplant, Hogweed..
What is the life cycle of a Pammene aurana?
The larvae spin seeds of Hogweed together and feed on the seeds inside the spinning.