Wenzel's Pitch-blister Moth - Hodges#2891
Retinia virginiana
This record describes Retinia virginiana (species). Recorded family: Tortricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Tortricoidea
- Family
- Tortricidae (Tortricid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Olethreutinae
- Tribe
- Eucosmini
- Genus
- Retinia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Records from Ohio to Maryland, south to North Carolina and northern Alabama. Quebec. Type locality: Falls Church, Virginia.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larval host is Virginia pine ( Pinus virginiana ). ,
Life History
Overwinters as larvae in the large, central bud. ( 4 )
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Specific epithet virginiana is taken from the larval host Pinus virginiana . Rhyacionia wenzeli Kearfott, 1910 is nomen nudum. It was never published as a new species with a valid description and becomes an unavailable name.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Retinia virginiana. 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 Wenzel's Pitch-blister Moth - Hodges#2891 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Jeff Hollenbeck; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Chuck Entz , Robert Lord Zimlich , Randy Hardy , Marci Hess , Kyhl Austin , Steve Morris
Frequently Asked Questions About Wenzel's Pitch-blister Moth - Hodges#2891
How big is Wenzel's Pitch-blister Moth - Hodges#2891?
Wingspan 17.5-23 mm.
Where is Wenzel's Pitch-blister Moth - Hodges#2891 found?
Range: Records from Ohio to Maryland, south to North Carolina and northern Alabama. Quebec. Type locality: Falls Church, Virginia.
What does Wenzel's Pitch-blister Moth - Hodges#2891 eat?
The diet of the Wenzel's Pitch-blister Moth - Hodges#2891 includes Larval host is Virginia pine ( Pinus virginiana ). ,.
What is the life cycle of a Wenzel's Pitch-blister Moth - Hodges#2891?
Overwinters as larvae in the large, central bud. ( 4 )