Sprague's Pygarctia moth - Hodges#8254
Pygarctia spraguei
This record describes Pygarctia spraguei (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
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
Heppner (2003) reported the range to include Indiana to Florida, Wisconsin to Texas. ( 3 ) Moth Photographers Group map includes Colorado, Utah, central Canada, Illinois, and Michigan. ( 4 )
Seasonal Activity
The main flight period appears to May through August. ( 4 )
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Heppner (2003) reported the larval host is Euphorbia species. ( 3 )
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Grote named the species in honor of his friend Mr. Henry S. Sprague of Buffalo, New York.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Pygarctia spraguei. 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 Sprague's Pygarctia moth - Hodges#8254 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman
Frequently Asked Questions About Sprague's Pygarctia moth - Hodges#8254
Where is Sprague's Pygarctia moth - Hodges#8254 found?
Range: Heppner (2003) reported the range to include Indiana to Florida, Wisconsin to Texas. ( 3 ) Moth Photographers Group map includes Colorado, Utah, central Canada, Illinois, and Michigan. ( 4 )
What does Sprague's Pygarctia moth - Hodges#8254 eat?
The diet of the Sprague's Pygarctia moth - Hodges#8254 includes Heppner (2003) reported the larval host is Euphorbia species. ( 3 ).
When is Sprague's Pygarctia moth - Hodges#8254 active?
Sprague's Pygarctia moth - Hodges#8254: seasonal activity - The main flight period appears to May through August. ( 4 ).