Timothy Tortrix
Zelotherses paleana
This record describes Zelotherses paleana (species). Recorded family: Tortricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 18-22 mm. A very plain looking moth, usually with a distinct yellowish suffusion around the head and the base of the forewings. It inhabits waste ground and dampish areas. The adults, which are on the wing from June to August, can be flushed from low vegetation during the day but are more active at night. Larva feeds on various grasses and herbaceous plants, living within a spun or rolled leaf. It is generally distributed throughout Britain but scarcer in Scotland. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Family
- Tortricidae
- Genus
- Zelotherses
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
It inhabits waste ground and dampish areas.
Seasonal Activity
The adults, which are on the wing from June to August, can be flushed from low vegetation during the day but are more active at night.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
Larva feeds on various grasses and herbaceous plants, living within a spun or rolled leaf.
Additional species information
Recorded status
It is generally distributed throughout Britain but scarcer in Scotland. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Zelotherses paleana. 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 Timothy Tortrix (9)
Frequently Asked Questions About Timothy Tortrix
What is Timothy Tortrix?
Timothy Tortrix (Zelotherses paleana) is a species in the family Tortricidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Timothy Tortrix found?
Habitat: It inhabits waste ground and dampish areas.
When is Timothy Tortrix active?
Timothy Tortrix: seasonal activity - The adults, which are on the wing from June to August, can be flushed from low vegetation during the day but are more active at night..
What is the life cycle of a Timothy Tortrix?
Larva feeds on various grasses and herbaceous plants, living within a spun or rolled leaf.