Hanham's Owlet - Hodges#8365
Phalaenostola hanhami
This record describes Phalaenostola hanhami (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
A small dark chocolate brown or puple-grey moth. The forewings are dark, with the antemedian and postmedian lines indistinct but visible, and with the subterminal line better marked in blackish scales, outlined on the distal side in contrasting paler scales. The most prominent marking is the short, black crescent or bent bar indicating the reniform. The hindwings are lighter brown, crossed by two narrow indistinct and incomplete darker bands. Much darker than P. metonalis, which also has much broader bipectinate antennae and longer palps.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Erebidae
- Subfamily
- Herminiinae
- Genus
- Phalaenostola
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Nova Scotia west across Canada to central Alberta, south to Massachusetts and New York. In Alberta, it has been taken several times along the southern edge of the boreal forest, east to the Edmonton area and north to Lac la Biche. Types: Winnipeg, Manitoba (A.W. Hanham); Centre, NY ( W.W. Hill , July 4, 1879).
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Named in honor of expert conchologist (shells) and avid microlepidoptera collector Abdiel William Hanham (1857–1944) of Duncan, Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Phalaenostola hanhami. 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 Hanham's Owlet - Hodges#8365 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Jason D. Roberts; Additional contributions by Randy Hardy , Blocky
Frequently Asked Questions About Hanham's Owlet - Hodges#8365
What is Hanham's Owlet - Hodges#8365?
Hanham's Owlet - Hodges#8365 (Phalaenostola hanhami) is a species in the family Erebidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Hanham's Owlet - Hodges#8365?
Wingspan 22-25 mm.
How do you identify Hanham's Owlet - Hodges#8365?
A small dark chocolate brown or puple-grey moth. The forewings are dark, with the antemedian and postmedian lines indistinct but visible, and with the subterminal line better marked in blackish scales, outlined on the distal side in contrasting paler scales. The most prominent marking is the short, black crescent or bent bar indicating the reniform. The hindwings are lighter brown, crossed by two narrow indistinct and incomplete darker bands. Much darker than P. metonalis, which also has much broader bipectinate antennae and longer palps.
Where is Hanham's Owlet - Hodges#8365 found?
Range: Nova Scotia west across Canada to central Alberta, south to Massachusetts and New York. In Alberta, it has been taken several times along the southern edge of the boreal forest, east to the Edmonton area and north to Lac la Biche. Types: Winnipeg, Manitoba (A.W. Hanham); Centre, NY ( W.W. Hill , July 4, 1879).