Dotted Checkerspot - Hodges#4515
Poladryas minuta
This record describes Poladryas minuta (species). Recorded family: Nymphalidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Different distribution, more eastern, than P. arachne ; dark markings above less developed and less prominent, giving a lighter more orange appearance; below with wider orange bands, and with broken median black markings giving more of a dotted than dashed appearance.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Papilionoidea
- Family
- Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
- Subfamily
- Nymphalinae
- Tribe
- Melitaeini
- Genus
- Poladryas (Checkerspots)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
se. Colorado through w. Texas and e. New Mexico into ne. Mexico
Seasonal Activity
Reported to have two broods, late spring and late summer.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Penstemon species
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Poladryas minuta. 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 Dotted Checkerspot - Hodges#4515 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by David J. Ferguson; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz
Frequently Asked Questions About Dotted Checkerspot - Hodges#4515
What is Dotted Checkerspot - Hodges#4515?
Dotted Checkerspot - Hodges#4515 (Poladryas minuta) is a species in the family Nymphalidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Dotted Checkerspot - Hodges#4515?
Different distribution, more eastern, than P. arachne ; dark markings above less developed and less prominent, giving a lighter more orange appearance; below with wider orange bands, and with broken median black markings giving more of a dotted than dashed appearance.
Where is Dotted Checkerspot - Hodges#4515 found?
Range: se. Colorado through w. Texas and e. New Mexico into ne. Mexico
What does Dotted Checkerspot - Hodges#4515 eat?
The diet of the Dotted Checkerspot - Hodges#4515 includes Penstemon species.
When is Dotted Checkerspot - Hodges#4515 active?
Dotted Checkerspot - Hodges#4515: seasonal activity - Reported to have two broods, late spring and late summer..