Pyrausta morenalis - Hodges#5030
Pyrausta morenalis
This record describes Pyrausta morenalis (species). Recorded family: Crambidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Forewing | Forewing rather narrow, dark reddish brown, slightly bronzy; lines very faint, pale, the inner obliterate, angled in the cell, oblique below; discal marks darker, very obscure, the reniform lunate; outer line slightly excurved on the median venules, denticulate. |
| Hindwing | Hindwing pale, subpellucid, slightly infuscated, distinctly so on the outer margin; a curved dark punctiform line, close to margin from anal angle to middle of wing, then becoming remote. Type locality: USA, California, Grapevine |
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
Information on the BOLD species page says "it is found in North America, where it has been recorded from Washington to California and west to Texas and Nevada. It is also found in Mexico." A. Hendrickson
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Pyrausta morenalis. 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 Pyrausta morenalis - Hodges#5030
What is Pyrausta morenalis - Hodges#5030?
Pyrausta morenalis - Hodges#5030 (Pyrausta morenalis) is a species in the family Crambidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Pyrausta morenalis - Hodges#5030?
Expanse: 20-22 mm.
How do you identify Pyrausta morenalis - Hodges#5030?
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Forewing | Forewing rather narrow, dark reddish brown, slightly bronzy; lines very faint, pale, the inner obliterate, angled in the cell, oblique below; discal marks darker, very obscure, the reniform lunate; outer line slightly excurved on the median venules, denticulate. |
| Hindwing | Hindwing pale, subpellucid, slightly infuscated, distinctly so on the outer margin; a curved dark punctiform line, close to margin from anal angle to middle of wing, then becoming remote. |
Where is Pyrausta morenalis - Hodges#5030 found?
Range: Information on the BOLD species page says it is found in North America, where it has been recorded from Washington to California and west to Texas and Nevada. It is also found in Mexico. A. Hendrickson