Sagebrush Girdle - Hodges#6926
Plataea trilinearia
This record describes Plataea trilinearia (species). Recorded family: Geometridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult: forewings white, with gray or grayish brown scaling; basal area gray or grayish brown, extending outwardly along inner margin to middle of wing; maculation similar to that of personaria but with posterior, elliptical lobe of median area tending to be larger, and with t.p. line irregular in course, not inwardly dentate; median area outlined by prominent white band; discal dash white, elongate, prominent; subterminal and terminal areas concolorous; terminal line varying from absent to complete, narrow, dark brown; fringe white, brown opposite vein endings. Hind wings white, with variable number of pale grayish brown scales; maculation absent in most specimens, some with small discal dot and trace of dark subterminal area; terminal line as on forewings; fringe white, some specimens with small amount of brown scaling opposite veins. [excerpt of description by Frederick Rindge, copied from PDF doc cited below]
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Geometroidea
- Family
- Geometridae (Geometrid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Ennominae
- Tribe
- Ourapterygini
- Genus
- Plataea
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Varied, mostly arid and semiarid environments such as desert grasslands and mountians, sagebrush flats, short grasslands, and prairie badlands; adults are nocturnal and come to light.
Geographic Range
Southeastern British Columbia to southwestern Saskatchewan, south to California and central Texas, and into Mexico. Moth Photographers Group - large map with some distribution data.
Seasonal Activity
Adults fly from February to September in the south; May to August in the north (Alberta). They are most commonly seen (often in large numbers at lights) in spring.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larval foodplant unknown but presumed to be wormwood ( Artemisia sp.) - the same as that of a sister species Plataea personaria .
Life History
Presumed to be one generation per year, even in the south where the flight season is long.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Plataea trilinearia. 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 Sagebrush Girdle - Hodges#6926 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Maury Heiman , David Ferguson
Frequently Asked Questions About Sagebrush Girdle - Hodges#6926
What is Sagebrush Girdle - Hodges#6926?
Sagebrush Girdle - Hodges#6926 (Plataea trilinearia) is a species in the family Geometridae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Sagebrush Girdle - Hodges#6926?
Wingspan 30-46 mm.
How do you identify Sagebrush Girdle - Hodges#6926?
Adult: forewings white, with gray or grayish brown scaling; basal area gray or grayish brown, extending outwardly along inner margin to middle of wing; maculation similar to that of personaria but with posterior, elliptical lobe of median area tending to be larger, and with t.p. line irregular in course, not inwardly dentate; median area outlined by prominent white band; discal dash white, elongate, prominent; subterminal and terminal areas concolorous; terminal line varying from absent to complete, narrow, dark brown; fringe white, brown opposite vein endings. Hind wings white, with variable number of pale grayish brown scales; maculation absent in most specimens, some with small discal dot and trace of dark subterminal area; terminal line as on forewings; fringe white, some specimens with small amount of brown scaling opposite veins. [excerpt of description by Frederick Rindge, copied from PDF doc cited below]
Where is Sagebrush Girdle - Hodges#6926 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Varied, mostly arid and semiarid environments such as desert grasslands and mountians, sagebrush flats, short grasslands, and prairie badlands; adults are nocturnal and come to light. |
| Range | Southeastern British Columbia to southwestern Saskatchewan, south to California and central Texas, and into Mexico. Moth Photographers Group - large map with some distribution data. |
What does Sagebrush Girdle - Hodges#6926 eat?
The diet of the Sagebrush Girdle - Hodges#6926 includes Larval foodplant unknown but presumed to be wormwood ( Artemisia sp.) - the same as that of a sister species Plataea personaria ..
When is Sagebrush Girdle - Hodges#6926 active?
Sagebrush Girdle - Hodges#6926: seasonal activity - Adults fly from February to September in the south; May to August in the north (Alberta). They are most commonly seen (often in large numbers at lights) in spring..
What is the life cycle of a Sagebrush Girdle - Hodges#6926?
Presumed to be one generation per year, even in the south where the flight season is long.