Rumatha polingella - Hodges#5980
Rumatha polingella
This record describes Rumatha polingella (species). Recorded family: Pyralidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pyraloidea
- Family
- Pyralidae (Pyralid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Phycitinae
- Tribe
- Phycitini
- Genus
- Rumatha
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
California to western Texas.
Seasonal Activity
Adults are most common from June to August.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: The larval host plant is Cylindropuntia sp.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Named in honor of ornithologist and entomologist Otho C. Poling (1879-1929) of Quincy, Illinois. Poling collected throughout the mountains and deserts of the American southwest, including California, southern Arizona, New Mexico, west Texas and Utah in two distinct periods (1900-1906 and 1922-1929). Many of his specimens were described by William Barnes and he had fourteen species of moths named for him.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Rumatha polingella. 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 Rumatha polingella - Hodges#5980 (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by Randy Hardy , Steve Morris
Frequently Asked Questions About Rumatha polingella - Hodges#5980
How big is Rumatha polingella - Hodges#5980?
Dyar listed the wingspan as 26-32 mm. MONA Fascicle 15.4 lists wing length of 11.0-16.5 mm
Where is Rumatha polingella - Hodges#5980 found?
Range: California to western Texas.
What does Rumatha polingella - Hodges#5980 eat?
The diet of the Rumatha polingella - Hodges#5980 includes The larval host plant is Cylindropuntia sp..
When is Rumatha polingella - Hodges#5980 active?
Rumatha polingella - Hodges#5980: seasonal activity - Adults are most common from June to August..