Southern Purple Mint Moth - Hodges#5070
Pyrausta laticlavia
This record describes Pyrausta laticlavia (species). Recorded family: Crambidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Specimen identified by DNA analysis: Often attracted to lights.
Identification notes
Specimen identified by DNA analysis:
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pyraloidea
- Family
- Crambidae (Crambid Snout Moths)
- Subfamily
- Pyraustinae
- Tribe
- Pyraustini
- Genus
- Pyrausta
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Scattered US records, except northern Rockies and northern Great Plains. , , Moth Photographers Group - large map with some distribution data. Powell et al. reported the expanding range northward from presumed original range of southern California.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Powell et al (2000) reported the larval hosts are in the mint family (Lamiaceae). Larvae have been found and reared on rosemary ( Rosmarinus officinalis . ( 4 )
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Pyrausta laticlavia. 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 Southern Purple Mint Moth - Hodges#5070 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by john and jane balaban; Additional contributions by Mike Boone , Beatriz Moisset , Mike Quinn , Maury Heiman , Randy Hardy , Kyhl Austin , Robert H. Biagi
Frequently Asked Questions About Southern Purple Mint Moth - Hodges#5070
What is Southern Purple Mint Moth - Hodges#5070?
Southern Purple Mint Moth - Hodges#5070 (Pyrausta laticlavia) is a species in the family Crambidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Southern Purple Mint Moth - Hodges#5070?
Specimen identified by DNA analysis:
Where is Southern Purple Mint Moth - Hodges#5070 found?
Range: Scattered US records, except northern Rockies and northern Great Plains. , , Moth Photographers Group - large map with some distribution data. Powell et al. reported the expanding range northward from presumed original range of southern California.
What does Southern Purple Mint Moth - Hodges#5070 eat?
The diet of the Southern Purple Mint Moth - Hodges#5070 includes Powell et al (2000) reported the larval hosts are in the mint family (Lamiaceae). Larvae have been found and reared on rosemary ( Rosmarinus officinalis . ( 4 ).