Spuleria flavicaput
This record describes Spuleria flavicaput (species). Recorded family: Parametriotidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan around 13 mm. This charcoal-grey species has a distinct yellow head, giving rise to its scientific name flavicaput . There are two sets of raised scale-tufts on the forewings, which can sometimes be hard to see. Around hedges containing the larval foodplant, Hawthorn. The moths are diurnal and fly during the mornings in May and June. The larvae feed from about August to October by mining into the twigs of the larval foodplant, Hawthorn but are difficult to detect except for the existence of an exit hole close to a fork. Locally distributed over much of England and Wales, into southern Scotland and parts of Ireland. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Family
- Parametriotidae
- Genus
- Spuleria
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Around hedges containing the larval foodplant, Hawthorn.
Seasonal Activity
The moths are diurnal and fly during the mornings in May and June.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larvae feed from about August to October by mining into the twigs of the larval foodplant, Hawthorn but are difficult to detect except for the existence of an exit hole close to a fork.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Locally distributed over much of England and Wales, into southern Scotland and parts of Ireland. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Spuleria flavicaput. 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 Spuleria flavicaput (7)
Frequently Asked Questions About Spuleria flavicaput
What is Spuleria flavicaput?
Spuleria flavicaput is a species in the family Parametriotidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Spuleria flavicaput found?
Habitat: Around hedges containing the larval foodplant, Hawthorn.
When is Spuleria flavicaput active?
Spuleria flavicaput: seasonal activity - The moths are diurnal and fly during the mornings in May and June..
What is the life cycle of a Spuleria flavicaput?
The larvae feed from about August to October by mining into the twigs of the larval foodplant, Hawthorn but are difficult to detect except for the existence of an exit hole close to a fork.