Telphusa sedulitella - Hodges#1859
Telphusa sedulitella
This record describes Telphusa sedulitella (species). Recorded family: Gelechiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Slender moths that wrap their wings around the body with rows of upraised scales giving a roughened appearance. Forewing blackish with some rust tones. There are variations the have more whitish coloration on parts of the wings.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Gelechioidea
- Family
- Gelechiidae (Twirler Moths)
- Subfamily
- Gelechiinae
- Tribe
- Litini
- Genus
- Telphusa
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Occurs along the West coast inland to the mountains from British Columbia south to Baja California.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae appear to be able to use a variety of hosts, including oaks, willows, hazelnut, and possibly Douglas-fir and Arctostaphylos .
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Telphusa sedulitella. 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 Telphusa sedulitella - Hodges#1859 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by John Davis
Frequently Asked Questions About Telphusa sedulitella - Hodges#1859
What is Telphusa sedulitella - Hodges#1859?
Telphusa sedulitella - Hodges#1859 (Telphusa sedulitella) is a species in the family Gelechiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Telphusa sedulitella - Hodges#1859?
Forewing length 5.5-6.8 mm.
How do you identify Telphusa sedulitella - Hodges#1859?
Slender moths that wrap their wings around the body with rows of upraised scales giving a roughened appearance. Forewing blackish with some rust tones. There are variations the have more whitish coloration on parts of the wings.
Where is Telphusa sedulitella - Hodges#1859 found?
Range: Occurs along the West coast inland to the mountains from British Columbia south to Baja California.
What does Telphusa sedulitella - Hodges#1859 eat?
The diet of the Telphusa sedulitella - Hodges#1859 includes Larvae appear to be able to use a variety of hosts, including oaks, willows, hazelnut, and possibly Douglas-fir and Arctostaphylos ..