Black-shaded Platynota Moth - Hodges#3732
Platynota flavedana
This record describes Platynota flavedana (species). Recorded family: Tortricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
♂ ♀ Larva - Early instars are yellowish with a black head. Older larvae are green with a light brown or amber head (Hull et al., 1995). BOLD:AAC4322
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Tortricoidea
- Family
- Tortricidae (Tortricid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Tortricinae
- Tribe
- Sparganothini
- Genus
- Platynota
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Minnesota east to Maine, south to North Carolina, and west to Arizona. More common in the southern part of its range at lower elevations (Hull et al., 1995).
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Generalist feeder of strawberry, apple, azalea, blackberry, clover, cotton, Helianthus sp., maple, peach, raspberry, rose, sassafras, narrowleaf plantain, smartweed, dandelion, dock and others (Hull et al., 1995). Silphium compositum, Prunus caroliniana (T.Feldman)
Life History
See Seven known parasites, Goniozus platynotae (Hymenoptera) the most common (Wilde et al., 1966).
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Specific epithet from Latin flavus meaning "yellow."
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Platynota flavedana. 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 Black-shaded Platynota Moth - Hodges#3732 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by john and jane balaban; Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset , Robert Lord Zimlich , Randy Hardy , JoAnneRusso , Blocky
Frequently Asked Questions About Black-shaded Platynota Moth - Hodges#3732
What is Black-shaded Platynota Moth - Hodges#3732?
Black-shaded Platynota Moth - Hodges#3732 (Platynota flavedana) is a species in the family Tortricidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Black-shaded Platynota Moth - Hodges#3732?
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | Wingspan 12-19 mm (Hull et al., 1995). |
| Forewing | Forewing length: ♂ 5.0-6.5 mm, ♀ 6.0-8.5 mm. |
How do you identify Black-shaded Platynota Moth - Hodges#3732?
♂ ♀ Larva - Early instars are yellowish with a black head. Older larvae are green with a light brown or amber head (Hull et al., 1995).
Where is Black-shaded Platynota Moth - Hodges#3732 found?
Range: Minnesota east to Maine, south to North Carolina, and west to Arizona. More common in the southern part of its range at lower elevations (Hull et al., 1995).
What does Black-shaded Platynota Moth - Hodges#3732 eat?
The diet of the Black-shaded Platynota Moth - Hodges#3732 includes Generalist feeder of strawberry, apple, azalea, blackberry, clover, cotton, Helianthus sp., maple, peach, raspberry, rose, sassafras, narrowleaf plantain, smartweed, dandelion, dock and others (Hull et al., 1995). Silphium compositum, Prunus caroliniana (T.Feldman).
What is the life cycle of a Black-shaded Platynota Moth - Hodges#3732?
See Seven known parasites, Goniozus platynotae (Hymenoptera) the most common (Wilde et al., 1966).