Floating-heart Waterlily Moth - Hodges#4763
Parapoynx seminealis
This record describes Parapoynx seminealis (species). Recorded family: Crambidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pyraloidea
- Family
- Crambidae (Crambid Snout Moths)
- Subfamily
- Acentropinae
- Tribe
- Nymphulini
- Genus
- Parapoynx
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Eastern United States from New England to Florida
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae feed on leaves of floatingheart : Big Floatingheart ( Nymphoides aquatica ) in Florida, and probably Little Floatingheart ( N. cordata ) or Yellow Floatingheart ( N. peltata ) in the northeast where Big Floatingheart does not occur
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Parapoynx seminealis. 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 Floating-heart Waterlily Moth - Hodges#4763 (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by Jim McClarin; Additional contributions by Robin McLeod , Chuck Sexton , Steve Morris
Frequently Asked Questions About Floating-heart Waterlily Moth - Hodges#4763
How big is Floating-heart Waterlily Moth - Hodges#4763?
Wingspan about 20 mm (MPG); forewing 8 - 13 mm.
Where is Floating-heart Waterlily Moth - Hodges#4763 found?
Range: Eastern United States from New England to Florida
What does Floating-heart Waterlily Moth - Hodges#4763 eat?
The diet of the Floating-heart Waterlily Moth - Hodges#4763 includes Larvae feed on leaves of floatingheart : Big Floatingheart ( Nymphoides aquatica ) in Florida, and probably Little Floatingheart ( N. cordata ) or Yellow Floatingheart ( N. peltata ) in the northeast where Big Floatingheart does not occur.