Straw Dot
Rivula sericealis
This record describes Rivula sericealis (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 18-22 mm. A small buff coloured moth with a dark spot on each wing. Damp meadows and woodland are its favourite haunts. The two generations a year fly in June and July and again in August and September.It flies from dusk into the night when it is attracted to light. Various grasses form the larval foodplants. Relatively common in the southern half of Britain and becoming gradually scarcer further north, this moth is also a suspected immigrant. In a recent survey to determine the status of all macro moths in Britain this species was classified as common.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Family
- Erebidae
- Genus
- Rivula
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Damp meadows and woodland are its favourite haunts.
Seasonal Activity
The two generations a year fly in June and July and again in August and September.It flies from dusk into the night when it is attracted to light.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
Various grasses form the larval foodplants.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Relatively common in the southern half of Britain and becoming gradually scarcer further north, this moth is also a suspected immigrant. In a recent survey to determine the status of all macro moths in Britain this species was classified as common.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Rivula sericealis. 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 Straw Dot (9)
Frequently Asked Questions About Straw Dot
What is Straw Dot?
Straw Dot (Rivula sericealis) is a species in the family Erebidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Straw Dot found?
Habitat: Damp meadows and woodland are its favourite haunts.
When is Straw Dot active?
Straw Dot: seasonal activity - The two generations a year fly in June and July and again in August and September.It flies from dusk into the night when it is attracted to light..
What is the life cycle of a Straw Dot?
Various grasses form the larval foodplants.