Hop-tree Borer Moth - Hodges#2416
Prays atomocella
This record describes Prays atomocella (species). Recorded family: Praydidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
With the forewing having the black spots rather large (compared to those of Yponomeuta ) and the apical fringe rust colored (versus white in Yponomeuta ), this moth is diagnosed as Prays atomocella . -- Terry Harrison, 24 May 2009 The only native Nearctic species of the genus Prays and
Wikipedia reference for Prays atomocella: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prays_atomocella.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Yponomeutoidea
- Family
- Praydidae (False Ermine Moths)
- Genus
- Prays
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: It has one generation per year. In early spring, the larva feeds inside a new shoot of hoptree, Ptelea trifoliata (Rutaceae); then it pupates and emerges as an adult, in which stage it spends the rest of the year until mating and laying eggs the following spring. -- Terry Harrison, 24 May, 2009
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Prays atomocella. 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.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hop-tree Borer Moth - Hodges#2416
What is Hop-tree Borer Moth - Hodges#2416?
Hop-tree Borer Moth - Hodges#2416 (Prays atomocella) is a species in the family Praydidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Hop-tree Borer Moth - Hodges#2416?
With the forewing having the black spots rather large (compared to those of Yponomeuta ) and the apical fringe rust colored (versus white in Yponomeuta ), this moth is diagnosed as Prays atomocella . -- Terry Harrison, 24 May 2009
What does Hop-tree Borer Moth - Hodges#2416 eat?
The diet of the Hop-tree Borer Moth - Hodges#2416 includes It has one generation per year. In early spring, the larva feeds inside a new shoot of hoptree, Ptelea trifoliata (Rutaceae); then it pupates and emerges as an adult, in which stage it spends the rest of the year until mating and laying eggs the following spring. -- Terry Harrison, 24 May, 2009.