Scrobipalpa acuminatella
This record describes Scrobipalpa acuminatella (species). Recorded family: Gelechiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
A variable moth with an overall brown appearance but this colour is flecked with chestnut and darker specks. This species occupies rough and open ground where thistles abound. Generally there are two generations, with adults on the wing in April to June and again in July to September. The larvae mine the leaves of various thistles ( Carduus and Cirsium ), forming a pale, sometimes slightly inflated blotch. Widely distributed across much of the British Isles. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Gelechioidea
- Family
- Gelechiidae (Twirler Moths)
- Subfamily
- Gelechiinae
- Tribe
- Gnorimoschemini
- Genus
- Scrobipalpa
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
This species occupies rough and open ground where thistles abound.
Seasonal Activity
Generally there are two generations, with adults on the wing in April to June and again in July to September.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larvae mine the leaves of various thistles (
Additional species information
Recorded status
Widely distributed across much of the British Isles. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Scrobipalpa acuminatella. 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 Scrobipalpa acuminatella (5)
Frequently Asked Questions About Scrobipalpa acuminatella
What is Scrobipalpa acuminatella?
Scrobipalpa acuminatella is a species in the family Gelechiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Scrobipalpa acuminatella found?
Habitat: This species occupies rough and open ground where thistles abound.
When is Scrobipalpa acuminatella active?
Scrobipalpa acuminatella: seasonal activity - Generally there are two generations, with adults on the wing in April to June and again in July to September..
What is the life cycle of a Scrobipalpa acuminatella?
The larvae mine the leaves of various thistles (