Polychrysia esmeralda - Hodges#8901
Polychrysia esmeralda
This record describes Polychrysia esmeralda (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adults are easily caught by hand when visiting flowers (E.H. Strickland Museum).
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
- Subfamily
- Plusiinae
- Tribe
- Plusiini
- Genus
- Polychrysia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Lush meadows and woodland edges in the mountains and foothills, and in flower gardens (E.H. Strickland Museum).
Geographic Range
Alaska south and west across the Canadian prairies to Saskatchewan (Powell & Opler, 2009).
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae feed on monkshood ( Aconitum sp.) and larkspurs ( Delphinium sp.), and are pests on these plants in Edmonton. Adults will visit fireweed ( Chamerion sp.) blossoms for nectar (E.H. Strickland Museum).
Life History
Larvae appear around late April or May and burrow into the growing leader of the host plant, causing considerable damage. The spun cocoon made out of fine, gold silk (E.H. Strickland Museum).
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Polychrysia esmeralda (Oberthür, 1880) Plusia esmeralda Oberthür, 1880 Deva trabea Smith, 1895 * phylogenetic sequence #931182
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Polychrysia esmeralda. 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 Polychrysia esmeralda - Hodges#8901 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Ted Kropiewnicki; Additional contributions by Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Polychrysia esmeralda - Hodges#8901
What is Polychrysia esmeralda - Hodges#8901?
Polychrysia esmeralda - Hodges#8901 (Polychrysia esmeralda) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Polychrysia esmeralda - Hodges#8901?
forewing length 1.5-1.8 cm (Powell & Opler, 2009)
Where is Polychrysia esmeralda - Hodges#8901 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Lush meadows and woodland edges in the mountains and foothills, and in flower gardens (E.H. Strickland Museum). |
| Range | Alaska south and west across the Canadian prairies to Saskatchewan (Powell & Opler, 2009). |
What does Polychrysia esmeralda - Hodges#8901 eat?
The diet of the Polychrysia esmeralda - Hodges#8901 includes Larvae feed on monkshood ( Aconitum sp.) and larkspurs ( Delphinium sp.), and are pests on these plants in Edmonton. Adults will visit fireweed ( Chamerion sp.) blossoms for nectar (E.H. Strickland Museum)..
What is the life cycle of a Polychrysia esmeralda - Hodges#8901?
Larvae appear around late April or May and burrow into the growing leader of the host plant, causing considerable damage. The spun cocoon made out of fine, gold silk (E.H. Strickland Museum).