Sympistis modesta - Hodges#10090
Sympistis modesta
This record describes Sympistis modesta (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
...Primaries with the basal two-thirds creamy with a slight ochreous tinge; inception of ordinary lines indicated by three small, smoky, equidistant, costal patches; t. a. line scarcely discernable, indicated more by the paler filling than by any dark lines, in direction rather sharply outwardly oblique, somewhat lunulate. Ordinary spots indicated faintly by their pale whitish color on a somewhat deeper background; orbicular decumbent, oval; reniform upright, almost circular. Terminal third of wing deep slaty black, with traces of a pale, whitish, irregular, s. t. line crossing the area close to outer margin. Fringes an admixture of whitish and pale smoky scaling with a more distinctly ochreous line at base. Secondaries white with a broad smoky terminal border, narrowing towards anal angle to a point; no trace of postmedian line. Fringes white, tinged with smoky in basal half... - (McDunnough, 1933) Sighted near Sanderson, Sept. 30, 1981 by Ed. Knudson here . Apparently it has a single brood, observation by A. Hendrickson
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
- Subfamily
- Oncocnemidinae
- Genus
- Sympistis
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Far West Texas near Big Bend E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum Holotype: Male, Presidio, Tex. No., 3630 in Canadian National Collection, Ottawa.
Seasonal Activity
Flies in October. E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Some species of Oncocnemis/Sympistis eat plants from the Rosaceae family , particularly Cercocarpus montanus British Natrual History Museum HOST Plant database
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Sympistis modesta. 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 Sympistis modesta - Hodges#10090 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by A. Hendrickson; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz
Frequently Asked Questions About Sympistis modesta - Hodges#10090
What is Sympistis modesta - Hodges#10090?
Sympistis modesta - Hodges#10090 (Sympistis modesta) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Sympistis modesta - Hodges#10090?
Wingspan: 29mm - (McDunnough, 1933)
How do you identify Sympistis modesta - Hodges#10090?
...Primaries with the basal two-thirds creamy with a slight ochreous tinge; inception of ordinary lines indicated by three small, smoky, equidistant, costal patches; t. a. line scarcely discernable, indicated more by the paler filling than by any dark lines, in direction rather sharply outwardly oblique, somewhat lunulate. Ordinary spots indicated faintly by their pale whitish color on a somewhat deeper background; orbicular decumbent, oval; reniform upright, almost circular. Terminal third of wing deep slaty black, with traces of a pale, whitish, irregular, s. t. line crossing the area close to outer margin. Fringes an admixture of whitish and pale smoky scaling with a more distinctly ochreous line at base. Secondaries white with a broad smoky terminal border, narrowing towards anal angle to a point; no trace of postmedian line. Fringes white, tinged with smoky in basal half... - (McDunnough, 1933)
Where is Sympistis modesta - Hodges#10090 found?
Range: Far West Texas near Big Bend E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum Holotype: Male, Presidio, Tex. No., 3630 in Canadian National Collection, Ottawa.
What does Sympistis modesta - Hodges#10090 eat?
The diet of the Sympistis modesta - Hodges#10090 includes Some species of Oncocnemis/Sympistis eat plants from the Rosaceae family , particularly Cercocarpus montanus British Natrual History Museum HOST Plant database.
When is Sympistis modesta - Hodges#10090 active?
Sympistis modesta - Hodges#10090: seasonal activity - Flies in October. E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum.