Aspen Leaf Blotch Miner Moth - Hodges#0736
Phyllonorycter apparella
This record describes Phyllonorycter apparella (species). Recorded family: Gracillariidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Gracillarioidea
- Family
- Gracillariidae (Leaf Blotch Miner Moths)
- Subfamily
- Lithocolletinae
- Genus
- Phyllonorycter
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Widely distributed in North America, from New Mexico, Ohio, and southern Maryland, north to central Alaska and Ontario
Diet and Behavior
Diet: In North America, Populus tremuloides is the most frequently encountered host, with P. grandidentata and P. canescens also being mined (Braun, 1908). Populus balsamifera , P. deltoides and Salix sp. serve as hosts much less frequently
Life History
leaf miner
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: original combination Tinea apparella Herrich-Schaffer, 1855
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Phyllonorycter apparella. 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 Aspen Leaf Blotch Miner Moth - Hodges#0736 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by tom murray; Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset , Ron M. , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Aspen Leaf Blotch Miner Moth - Hodges#0736
Where is Aspen Leaf Blotch Miner Moth - Hodges#0736 found?
Range: Widely distributed in North America, from New Mexico, Ohio, and southern Maryland, north to central Alaska and Ontario
What does Aspen Leaf Blotch Miner Moth - Hodges#0736 eat?
The diet of the Aspen Leaf Blotch Miner Moth - Hodges#0736 includes In North America, Populus tremuloides is the most frequently encountered host, with P. grandidentata and P. canescens also being mined (Braun, 1908). Populus balsamifera , P. deltoides and Salix sp. serve as hosts much less frequently.
What is the life cycle of a Aspen Leaf Blotch Miner Moth - Hodges#0736?
leaf miner