Tropical Tobacco Moth - Hodges#0428
Setomorpha rutella
This record describes Setomorpha rutella (species). Recorded family: Tineidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Four Nearctic BINs in the genus BOLD:ABA5199 [eastern US (IL, MD)] BOLD:AAD2722 [desert SW (CA, AZ, NM)] BOLD:ACE6014 [AZ (Tucson, Huachucas)] BOLD:ABZ7737 [AZ (Huachucas)]
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Tineoidea
- Family
- Tineidae (Clothes Moths)
- Subfamily
- Setomorphinae
- Genus
- Setomorpha
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Widespread across all of North America. Found worldwide due to commerce. Country of origin is thought to be the Philippines.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae feed on dry plant material. Considered a pest in some parts of the world because of damage to dried tobacco.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Setomorpha rutella. 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 Tropical Tobacco Moth - Hodges#0428 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by Blocky
Frequently Asked Questions About Tropical Tobacco Moth - Hodges#0428
What is Tropical Tobacco Moth - Hodges#0428?
Tropical Tobacco Moth - Hodges#0428 (Setomorpha rutella) is a species in the family Tineidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Tropical Tobacco Moth - Hodges#0428 found?
Range: Widespread across all of North America. Found worldwide due to commerce. Country of origin is thought to be the Philippines.
What does Tropical Tobacco Moth - Hodges#0428 eat?
The diet of the Tropical Tobacco Moth - Hodges#0428 includes Larvae feed on dry plant material. Considered a pest in some parts of the world because of damage to dried tobacco..