Pyla fusca - Hodges#5829
Pyla fusca
This record describes Pyla fusca (species). Recorded family: Pyralidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
head and eyes very dark or black forewings long and slender, black with scattered pale speckling; two zigzag bands (sometimes indistinct) cross each wing, the inner edge of the basal band forms a whitish patch in the midline when the wings are folded over the back; a row of black spots borders the wingtips hindwings pale gray and unmarked
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pyraloidea
- Family
- Pyralidae (Pyralid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Phycitinae
- Tribe
- Phycitini
- Genus
- Pyla
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Eurasia; in North America from Alaska to Newfoundland and south to New Jersey, New Mexico, and California ( PDF doc: Butterflies and Moths of the Yukon )
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: FUSCA: dark, swarthy, dusky (Words, by William Whitaker)
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Pyla fusca. 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 Pyla fusca - Hodges#5829 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Tony-2 , John Davis , Blocky
Frequently Asked Questions About Pyla fusca - Hodges#5829
What is Pyla fusca - Hodges#5829?
Pyla fusca - Hodges#5829 (Pyla fusca) is a species in the family Pyralidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Pyla fusca - Hodges#5829?
head to wingtip 12-15 mm
How do you identify Pyla fusca - Hodges#5829?
head and eyes very dark or black forewings long and slender, black with scattered pale speckling; two zigzag bands (sometimes indistinct) cross each wing, the inner edge of the basal band forms a whitish patch in the midline when the wings are folded over the back; a row of black spots borders the wingtips hindwings pale gray and unmarked
Where is Pyla fusca - Hodges#5829 found?
Range: Eurasia; in North America from Alaska to Newfoundland and south to New Jersey, New Mexico, and California ( PDF doc: Butterflies and Moths of the Yukon )