Pygarctia neomexicana - Hodges#8251
Pygarctia neomexicana
This record describes Pygarctia neomexicana (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Det. Bob Patterson and Ed Knudson (Texas Lepidoptera Survey)
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Erebidae
- Subfamily
- Arctiinae
- Tribe
- Arctiini
- Genus
- Pygarctia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
sw US (AZ-TX-CO-UT) (few records) - Map (MPG)
Seasonal Activity
The flight period is April to September.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: The larval host is unknown.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Pygarctia neomexicana. 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 Pygarctia neomexicana - Hodges#8251 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by Mike Quinn , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Pygarctia neomexicana - Hodges#8251
What is Pygarctia neomexicana - Hodges#8251?
Pygarctia neomexicana - Hodges#8251 (Pygarctia neomexicana) is a species in the family Erebidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Pygarctia neomexicana - Hodges#8251?
Det. Bob Patterson and Ed Knudson (Texas Lepidoptera Survey)
Where is Pygarctia neomexicana - Hodges#8251 found?
Range: sw US (AZ-TX-CO-UT) (few records) - Map (MPG)
What does Pygarctia neomexicana - Hodges#8251 eat?
The diet of the Pygarctia neomexicana - Hodges#8251 includes The larval host is unknown..
When is Pygarctia neomexicana - Hodges#8251 active?
Pygarctia neomexicana - Hodges#8251: seasonal activity - The flight period is April to September..