Pelochrista argentialbana - Hodges#3038
Pelochrista argentialbana
This record describes Pelochrista argentialbana (species). Recorded family: Tortricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Identification notes
Genitalia:
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Tortricoidea
- Family
- Tortricidae (Tortricid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Olethreutinae
- Tribe
- Eucosmini
- Genus
- Pelochrista
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
TL: USA, Oregon, Douglas Co., Umpqua River.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae feed on common wormwood ( Artemisia vulgaris ) and presumably other species of wormwood in Utah and Texas, where A. vulgaris doesn't occur. ( 3 )
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Pelochrista argentialbana (Walsingham, 1879), treated as a subspecies of 3037 Pelochrista agricolana (Walsingham, 1879) in the Hodges 1983 Checklist, is raised to full species status. The subspecies Pelochrista argentialbana britana (McDunnough, 1927) is now as synonym of 3037 Pelochrista agricolana (Walsingham, 1879). Pelochrista smithiana (Walsingham, 1895), listed as 3038 in the 1983 Hodges Checklist, is a synonym of 3037 Pelochrista agricolana (Walsingham, 1879). MONA Fascicle 9.5: 37-39. The identities of the two taxa were essentially flipped in MONA Fascicle 9.5.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Pelochrista argentialbana. 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 Pelochrista argentialbana - Hodges#3038 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Randy Hardy , Robert H. Biagi
Frequently Asked Questions About Pelochrista argentialbana - Hodges#3038
How big is Pelochrista argentialbana - Hodges#3038?
Wingspan 13-20 mm.
How do you identify Pelochrista argentialbana - Hodges#3038?
Genitalia:
Where is Pelochrista argentialbana - Hodges#3038 found?
Range: TL: USA, Oregon, Douglas Co., Umpqua River.
What does Pelochrista argentialbana - Hodges#3038 eat?
The diet of the Pelochrista argentialbana - Hodges#3038 includes Larvae feed on common wormwood ( Artemisia vulgaris ) and presumably other species of wormwood in Utah and Texas, where A. vulgaris doesn't occur. ( 3 ).