Tetracis cervinaria - Hodges#6956
Tetracis cervinaria
This record describes Tetracis cervinaria (species). Recorded family: Geometridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Specimens identified by DNA analysis:
Identification notes
Specimens identified by DNA analysis:
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Geometroidea
- Family
- Geometridae (Geometrid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Ennominae
- Tribe
- Ourapterygini
- Genus
- Tetracis (Slant-Lines)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
British Columbia south to Kern Co., California and eastward to western Montana, SE Idaho, Carbon Co., Wyoming, and Larimer Co., Colorado, from 2600–7800’ (790-2375m)
Seasonal Activity
Adults fly as early as February into June, with female stragglers into mid-July
Diet and Behavior
Diet: two confirmed hosts in northern California for cervinaria are Prunus emarginata and P. virginiana , Ferris and Schmidt, 2010. Older information indicates larvae may also feed on leaves of alder, Bitterbrush ( Purshia tridentata ), cascara, Ceanothus species, Madrone ( Arbutus menziesii ), manzanita ( Arctostaphylos spp.), willow
Life History
one generation per year; overwinters as an egg
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: CERVINARIA: perhaps from the Latin "cervinus", from "cervus" (a deer), although I can't guess what association the moth has with a deer or the deer family; any ideas appreciated
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Tetracis cervinaria. 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 Tetracis cervinaria - Hodges#6956 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Randy Hardy , Robert H. Biagi , Steve Morris
Frequently Asked Questions About Tetracis cervinaria - Hodges#6956
What is Tetracis cervinaria - Hodges#6956?
Tetracis cervinaria - Hodges#6956 (Tetracis cervinaria) is a species in the family Geometridae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Tetracis cervinaria - Hodges#6956?
forewing length 19–23 mm
How do you identify Tetracis cervinaria - Hodges#6956?
Specimens identified by DNA analysis:
Where is Tetracis cervinaria - Hodges#6956 found?
Range: British Columbia south to Kern Co., California and eastward to western Montana, SE Idaho, Carbon Co., Wyoming, and Larimer Co., Colorado, from 2600–7800’ (790-2375m)
What does Tetracis cervinaria - Hodges#6956 eat?
The diet of the Tetracis cervinaria - Hodges#6956 includes two confirmed hosts in northern California for cervinaria are Prunus emarginata and P. virginiana , Ferris and Schmidt, 2010. Older information indicates larvae may also feed on leaves of alder, Bitterbrush ( Purshia tridentata ), cascara, Ceanothus species, Madrone ( Arbutus menziesii ), manzanita ( Arctostaphylos spp.), willow.
When is Tetracis cervinaria - Hodges#6956 active?
Tetracis cervinaria - Hodges#6956: seasonal activity - Adults fly as early as February into June, with female stragglers into mid-July.
What is the life cycle of a Tetracis cervinaria - Hodges#6956?
one generation per year; overwinters as an egg