Pammene aurita
This record describes Pammene aurita (species). Recorded family: Tortricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
The adult moths are on the wing in July and August, from late afternoon onwards, and are most often encountered at light. The larvae feed inside the seeds of sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus), and their presence is sometimes betrayed by small exit holes in the seeds themselves. An adventive colonist, first discovered in Britain in 1943 in south-east Kent. Since then it has become widely but thinly established over much of England and Wales. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.
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
Around Sycamore.
Seasonal Activity
The adult moths are on the wing in July and August, from late afternoon onwards, and are most often encountered at light.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larvae feed inside the seeds of sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus), and their presence is sometimes betrayed by small exit holes in the seeds themselves.
Additional species information
Recorded status
An adventive colonist, first discovered in Britain in 1943 in south-east Kent. Since then it has become widely but thinly established over much of England and Wales. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Pammene aurita. 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 aurita (9)
Frequently Asked Questions About Pammene aurita
What is Pammene aurita?
Pammene aurita is a species in the family Tortricidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Pammene aurita found?
Habitat: Around Sycamore.
When is Pammene aurita active?
Pammene aurita: seasonal activity - The adult moths are on the wing in July and August, from late afternoon onwards, and are most often encountered at light..
What is the life cycle of a Pammene aurita?
The larvae feed inside the seeds of sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus), and their presence is sometimes betrayed by small exit holes in the seeds themselves.