Platphalonidia felix - Hodges#3831
Platphalonidia felix
This record describes Platphalonidia felix (species). Recorded family: Tortricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Tortricoidea
- Family
- Tortricidae (Tortricid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Tortricinae
- Tribe
- Cochylini
- Genus
- Platphalonidia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Scattered records throughout North America. ( 5 ) , ( 6 ) , ( 4 ) Type locality: USA: Colorado, Loveland @ 5,000-10,000' ( Smith ). Moth Photographers Group map Bug Guide data
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Powell & Opler ( 4 ) report larval hosts of Douglas' ragwort, Senecio flaccidus L. and dune ragwort, Senecio blochmaniae Greene. Larvae were reported to have been reared on Artemisia L. (Dyar, 1901)
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Specific epithet felix is Latin meaning "happy." Heinrich later named a tortricid " infelix ," meaning "unhappy." , Phalonidia felix was listed as #3760 in the 1983 Hodges Checklist.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Platphalonidia felix. 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 Platphalonidia felix - Hodges#3831 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Randy Hardy , Blocky
Frequently Asked Questions About Platphalonidia felix - Hodges#3831
How big is Platphalonidia felix - Hodges#3831?
Forewing length 6.5-9 mm. ( 4 )
Where is Platphalonidia felix - Hodges#3831 found?
Range: Scattered records throughout North America. ( 5 ) , ( 6 ) , ( 4 ) Type locality: USA: Colorado, Loveland @ 5,000-10,000' ( Smith ). Moth Photographers Group map Bug Guide data
What does Platphalonidia felix - Hodges#3831 eat?
The diet of the Platphalonidia felix - Hodges#3831 includes Powell & Opler ( 4 ) report larval hosts of Douglas' ragwort, Senecio flaccidus L. and dune ragwort, Senecio blochmaniae Greene. Larvae were reported to have been reared on Artemisia L. (Dyar, 1901).