Yellow-winged Pareuchaetes - Hodges#8227
Pareuchaetes insulata
This record describes Pareuchaetes insulata (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Forewing color is clay yellow with no other markings. Although it is native to Mexico and the U.S. Gulf Coast and a popular nectar plant in the southern U.S., Chromolaena odorata has become a noxious weed on Pacific Islands, Australia, and South Africa. This moth has been released as a biological control agent against this plant where it's a pest.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Erebidae
- Subfamily
- Arctiinae
- Tribe
- Arctiini
- Genus
- Pareuchaetes
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
se AZ, c. to s. TX, s. FL, plus a few strays to se US - Map ( 4 ) , ( 5 ) Cuba, Mexico to central South America. ( 5 )
Seasonal Activity
Adults are most common from April through November. Heppner (2003) reported adults year round in Florida. ( 6 )
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Chromolaena odorata [= Eupatorium odoratum ] and other mistflowers ( 3 ) Captive larvae accept many plants ( 7 ) Plant Info - USDA Plants Database Heppner (2003) listed Ageratum sp. and Hernandia sonora . ( 6 )
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Pareuchaetes insulata. 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 Yellow-winged Pareuchaetes - Hodges#8227 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Jeff Hollenbeck; Additional contributions by anitagould , Mike Quinn , Maury Heiman , Chuck Sexton
Frequently Asked Questions About Yellow-winged Pareuchaetes - Hodges#8227
What is Yellow-winged Pareuchaetes - Hodges#8227?
Yellow-winged Pareuchaetes - Hodges#8227 (Pareuchaetes insulata) is a species in the family Erebidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Yellow-winged Pareuchaetes - Hodges#8227?
Wingspan 26-38 mm ( 3 )
How do you identify Yellow-winged Pareuchaetes - Hodges#8227?
Forewing color is clay yellow with no other markings.
Where is Yellow-winged Pareuchaetes - Hodges#8227 found?
Range: se AZ, c. to s. TX, s. FL, plus a few strays to se US - Map ( 4 ) , ( 5 ) Cuba, Mexico to central South America. ( 5 )
What does Yellow-winged Pareuchaetes - Hodges#8227 eat?
The diet of the Yellow-winged Pareuchaetes - Hodges#8227 includes Chromolaena odorata [= Eupatorium odoratum ] and other mistflowers ( 3 ) Captive larvae accept many plants ( 7 ) Plant Info - USDA Plants Database Heppner (2003) listed Ageratum sp. and Hernandia sonora . ( 6 ).
When is Yellow-winged Pareuchaetes - Hodges#8227 active?
Yellow-winged Pareuchaetes - Hodges#8227: seasonal activity - Adults are most common from April through November. Heppner (2003) reported adults year round in Florida. ( 6 ).