Mesquite Leaf Tier - Hodges#5620
Pococera euphemella
This record describes Pococera euphemella (species). Recorded family: Pyralidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Species page created based on this image determined by Ed Knudson, Texas Lepidoptera Survey, Houston:
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pyraloidea
- Family
- Pyralidae (Pyralid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Epipaschiinae
- Genus
- Pococera
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae completed their entire development on honey mesquite, P. glandulosa Torrey var. glandulosa, western honey mesquite, P. g. var. torreyana (L. Benson) M. C. Johnston, velvet mesquite, P. velutina Wooten, and white mesquite, P. alba Grisebach, but not on screwbean mesquite, P. pubescens Bentham. (DeLoach, 1982)
Life History
Adults emerged from overwintering pupae in April and May. Populations of larvae in the field were always low, and larvae caused little damage to mesquite trees. Parasitism of larvae in the field reached 20% during the last two instars, mostly from tachinid flies. (DeLoach, 1982)
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Pococera euphemella. 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 Mesquite Leaf Tier - Hodges#5620 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Mike Quinn; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz
Frequently Asked Questions About Mesquite Leaf Tier - Hodges#5620
What is Mesquite Leaf Tier - Hodges#5620?
Mesquite Leaf Tier - Hodges#5620 (Pococera euphemella) is a species in the family Pyralidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Mesquite Leaf Tier - Hodges#5620?
Species page created based on this image determined by Ed Knudson, Texas Lepidoptera Survey, Houston:
What does Mesquite Leaf Tier - Hodges#5620 eat?
The diet of the Mesquite Leaf Tier - Hodges#5620 includes Larvae completed their entire development on honey mesquite, P. glandulosa Torrey var. glandulosa, western honey mesquite, P. g. var. torreyana (L. Benson) M. C. Johnston, velvet mesquite, P. velutina Wooten, and white mesquite, P. alba Grisebach, but not on screwbean mesquite, P. pubescens Bentham. (DeLoach, 1982).
What is the life cycle of a Mesquite Leaf Tier - Hodges#5620?
Adults emerged from overwintering pupae in April and May. Populations of larvae in the field were always low, and larvae caused little damage to mesquite trees. Parasitism of larvae in the field reached 20% during the last two instars, mostly from tachinid flies. (DeLoach, 1982)