Aster Cutworm - Hodges#10307
Trichordestra lilacina
This record describes Trichordestra lilacina (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult: forewing light brown with dark brown or gray patches; claviform spot conspicuous, cone-shaped, brown with black outline; orbicular spot oblique, pale; reniform spot blackish in lower half; some specimens have mostly grayish forewings with white veins ( see example ); subterminal line pale, slightly irregular, lacks W-shaped jog near middle, and lacks separate dark triangular spots along medial side; hindwing yellowish-gray with dark diffuse terminal band; fringe white or pale yellow
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
- Subfamily
- Noctuinae
- Tribe
- Hadenini
- Genus
- Trichordestra
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
across southern Canada and northern United States, south in the east to New England, south in the west to California
Seasonal Activity
adults fly from June to August
Diet and Behavior
Diet: larvae presumably feed on asters (?)
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Trichordestra lilacina. 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 Aster Cutworm - Hodges#10307 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Ethan Kistler , Harsi S. Parker
Frequently Asked Questions About Aster Cutworm - Hodges#10307
What is Aster Cutworm - Hodges#10307?
Aster Cutworm - Hodges#10307 (Trichordestra lilacina) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Aster Cutworm - Hodges#10307?
wingspan about 32 mm, based on two photos by Jim Vargo at MPG
How do you identify Aster Cutworm - Hodges#10307?
Adult: forewing light brown with dark brown or gray patches; claviform spot conspicuous, cone-shaped, brown with black outline; orbicular spot oblique, pale; reniform spot blackish in lower half; some specimens have mostly grayish forewings with white veins ( see example ); subterminal line pale, slightly irregular, lacks W-shaped jog near middle, and lacks separate dark triangular spots along medial side; hindwing yellowish-gray with dark diffuse terminal band; fringe white or pale yellow
Where is Aster Cutworm - Hodges#10307 found?
Range: across southern Canada and northern United States, south in the east to New England, south in the west to California
What does Aster Cutworm - Hodges#10307 eat?
The diet of the Aster Cutworm - Hodges#10307 includes larvae presumably feed on asters (?).
When is Aster Cutworm - Hodges#10307 active?
Aster Cutworm - Hodges#10307: seasonal activity - adults fly from June to August.