Semioscopis megamicrella - Hodges#0915

Semioscopis megamicrella

This record describes Semioscopis megamicrella (species). Recorded family: Depressariidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.

Identification and Appearance

Semioscopis megamicrella - Hodges#0915 - Semioscopis megamicrella — Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Tony-2 , anitagould , marcie oconnor , JoAnneRusso

Adult: forewing variably pale brown to dark grayish-brown with fine speckling; subterminal and terminal lines composed of several black spots; reniform spot a small black arc, with dark shading immediately beyond it; two or three dark spots in AM and median area; hindwing pale grayish-brown with thin dark terminal line (sometimes double) and long pale fringe; dark streak often present parallel to inner margin

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily: Gelechioidea
Family: Depressariidae
Subfamily: Depressariinae
Genus: Semioscopis

Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.

Habitat and Range

Geographic Range

northern United States and southern Canada

Seasonal Activity

adults fly in April and May

Diet and Behavior

Diet: unknown

About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group

Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Semioscopis megamicrella. 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.

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