Northern Cordgrass Borer - Hodges#9436
Photedes panatela
This record describes Photedes panatela (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult: forewing pale tan or yellowish-gray with some light brown shading; AM and PM lines composed of several dark dots; prominent dark gray streak runs through middle of median area from AM to PM line; orbicular and reniform spots indistinct; some grayish-brown shading in lower half of subterminal area; pale apical patch sometimes noticeable; terminal line composed of several dark gray dashes; hindwing pale grayish-yellow with dark dashed terminal line uncommon to rare; threatened in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
- Subfamily
- Noctuinae
- Tribe
- Apameini
- Genus
- Photedes (Cordgrass Borers)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
wet grasslands and marshy wooded areas
Geographic Range
northern United States and southern Canada from Nova Scotia to Alberta
Seasonal Activity
adults fly in June and July
Diet and Behavior
Diet: larvae presumably bore in stems or roots of a marsh plant or plants, but the host plant is unknown (Handfield, 1999)
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Photedes panatela. 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 Northern Cordgrass Borer - Hodges#9436 (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod
Frequently Asked Questions About Northern Cordgrass Borer - Hodges#9436
What is Northern Cordgrass Borer - Hodges#9436?
Northern Cordgrass Borer - Hodges#9436 (Photedes panatela) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Northern Cordgrass Borer - Hodges#9436?
Adult: forewing pale tan or yellowish-gray with some light brown shading; AM and PM lines composed of several dark dots; prominent dark gray streak runs through middle of median area from AM to PM line; orbicular and reniform spots indistinct; some grayish-brown shading in lower half of subterminal area; pale apical patch sometimes noticeable; terminal line composed of several dark gray dashes; hindwing pale grayish-yellow with dark dashed terminal line
Where is Northern Cordgrass Borer - Hodges#9436 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | wet grasslands and marshy wooded areas |
| Range | northern United States and southern Canada from Nova Scotia to Alberta |
What does Northern Cordgrass Borer - Hodges#9436 eat?
The diet of the Northern Cordgrass Borer - Hodges#9436 includes larvae presumably bore in stems or roots of a marsh plant or plants, but the host plant is unknown (Handfield, 1999).
When is Northern Cordgrass Borer - Hodges#9436 active?
Northern Cordgrass Borer - Hodges#9436: seasonal activity - adults fly in June and July.