Western Yellow-striped Armyworm Moth - Hodges#9667
Spodoptera praefica
This record describes Spodoptera praefica (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult: forewing variably grayish-brown to yellowish-brown with pale scaling along veins; oblique yellowish shade line extends across orbicular spot toward PM line; basal, AM, PM, and ST lines irregular, pale yellow or white; hindwing pale gray with dark veins and discal lunule, thin dark terminal line, and white fringe Larva: head black with inverted white Y shape on front; body black with prominent white or yellow dorsolateral line; 3 stripes along each side - a gray one near the top, a black one below that, and a reddish-brown one below that
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
- Subfamily
- Noctuinae
- Tribe
- Prodeniini
- Genus
- Spodoptera (Armyworm Moths)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
British Columbia to California, east to Utah, north to Alberta
Seasonal Activity
adults fly in March and April, and again in August and September larvae present from May to July, and again in the fall before pupating
Diet and Behavior
Diet: larvae feed on leaves of crops such as alfalfa, potato, rice, sugarbeet, and sweet potato, plus various other herbaceous plants
Life History
two generations per year; overwinters as a pupa in the soil
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Spodoptera praefica. 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 Western Yellow-striped Armyworm Moth - Hodges#9667 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Lynette Elliott , PaleoJon , Steve Morris
Frequently Asked Questions About Western Yellow-striped Armyworm Moth - Hodges#9667
What is Western Yellow-striped Armyworm Moth - Hodges#9667?
Western Yellow-striped Armyworm Moth - Hodges#9667 (Spodoptera praefica) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Western Yellow-striped Armyworm Moth - Hodges#9667?
wingspan 35-40 mm larva length to 40 mm
How do you identify Western Yellow-striped Armyworm Moth - Hodges#9667?
Adult: forewing variably grayish-brown to yellowish-brown with pale scaling along veins; oblique yellowish shade line extends across orbicular spot toward PM line; basal, AM, PM, and ST lines irregular, pale yellow or white; hindwing pale gray with dark veins and discal lunule, thin dark terminal line, and white fringe Larva: head black with inverted white Y shape on front; body black with prominent white or yellow dorsolateral line; 3 stripes along each side - a gray one near the top, a black one below that, and a reddish-brown one below that
Where is Western Yellow-striped Armyworm Moth - Hodges#9667 found?
Range: British Columbia to California, east to Utah, north to Alberta
What does Western Yellow-striped Armyworm Moth - Hodges#9667 eat?
The diet of the Western Yellow-striped Armyworm Moth - Hodges#9667 includes larvae feed on leaves of crops such as alfalfa, potato, rice, sugarbeet, and sweet potato, plus various other herbaceous plants.
When is Western Yellow-striped Armyworm Moth - Hodges#9667 active?
Western Yellow-striped Armyworm Moth - Hodges#9667: seasonal activity - adults fly in March and April, and again in August and September larvae present from May to July, and again in the fall before pupating.
What is the life cycle of a Western Yellow-striped Armyworm Moth - Hodges#9667?
two generations per year; overwinters as a pupa in the soil