Purple Plagodis - Hodges#6841
Plagodis kuetzingi
This record describes Plagodis kuetzingi (species). Recorded family: Geometridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Geometroidea
- Family
- Geometridae (Geometrid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Ennominae
- Tribe
- Anagogini
- Genus
- Plagodis
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Nova Scotia to Virginia and Tennessee west to Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin
Seasonal Activity
adults usually fly May to July Moth Photographers Group records of May to September.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larval host plant is Fraxinus (ash trees).
Life History
Larva; adult
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Plagodis kuetzingi. 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 Purple Plagodis - Hodges#6841 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Matthew Roth; Additional contributions by anitagould , Maury Heiman , marcie oconnor , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Purple Plagodis - Hodges#6841
How big is Purple Plagodis - Hodges#6841?
wingspan about 26 mm, based on Moth Photographers Group specimen
Where is Purple Plagodis - Hodges#6841 found?
Range: Nova Scotia to Virginia and Tennessee west to Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin
What does Purple Plagodis - Hodges#6841 eat?
The diet of the Purple Plagodis - Hodges#6841 includes Larval host plant is Fraxinus (ash trees)..
When is Purple Plagodis - Hodges#6841 active?
Purple Plagodis - Hodges#6841: seasonal activity - adults usually fly May to July Moth Photographers Group records of May to September..
What is the life cycle of a Purple Plagodis - Hodges#6841?
Larva; adult