Penstemonia clarkei - Hodges#2618
Penstemonia clarkei
This record describes Penstemonia clarkei (species). Recorded family: Sesiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult - see Duckworth & Eichlin description and Engelhardt figures in Print References.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Cossoidea
- Family
- Sesiidae (Clearwing Moths)
- Subfamily
- Sesiinae
- Tribe
- Synanthedonini
- Genus
- Penstemonia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Western Montana and southern British Columbia to Monterey, California and the Sierra Nevadas. , Type Location: Dalles, Oregon.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae are root borers in various penstemon, including cutleaf beardtongue ( Penstemon richardsonii , Scrophulariaceae) and Palmer's penstemon ( P. palmeri ).
Life History
See Duckworth & Eichlin in Print References.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Named in honor of lepidopterist J.F. Gates Clarke.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Penstemonia clarkei. 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 Penstemonia clarkei - Hodges#2618 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by john and jane balaban; Additional contributions by Aaron Schusteff , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Penstemonia clarkei - Hodges#2618
What is Penstemonia clarkei - Hodges#2618?
Penstemonia clarkei - Hodges#2618 (Penstemonia clarkei) is a species in the family Sesiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Penstemonia clarkei - Hodges#2618?
Forewing length 5-10 mm.
How do you identify Penstemonia clarkei - Hodges#2618?
Adult - see Duckworth & Eichlin description and Engelhardt figures in Print References.
Where is Penstemonia clarkei - Hodges#2618 found?
Range: Western Montana and southern British Columbia to Monterey, California and the Sierra Nevadas. , Type Location: Dalles, Oregon.
What does Penstemonia clarkei - Hodges#2618 eat?
The diet of the Penstemonia clarkei - Hodges#2618 includes Larvae are root borers in various penstemon, including cutleaf beardtongue ( Penstemon richardsonii , Scrophulariaceae) and Palmer's penstemon ( P. palmeri )..
What is the life cycle of a Penstemonia clarkei - Hodges#2618?
See Duckworth & Eichlin in Print References.