Trichordestra tacoma - Hodges#10303
Trichordestra tacoma
This record describes Trichordestra tacoma (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult: forewing brownish-gray with dark gray patches; subterminal area pale purplish-gray; subterminal line whitish, with distinct W-shaped jog near middle; hindwing yellowish-gray with dark veins and broad dark terminal band; fringe pale basally, dark distally
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 west to California
Seasonal Activity
adults fly from May to July
Diet and Behavior
Diet: larvae feed on willow, willowherb, chokecherry, elderberry, blueberry, spiraea, birch, spreading dogbane, and other shrubs and low plants [Handfield, 1999]
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Trichordestra tacoma. 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 Trichordestra tacoma - Hodges#10303 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Steve Morris
Frequently Asked Questions About Trichordestra tacoma - Hodges#10303
What is Trichordestra tacoma - Hodges#10303?
Trichordestra tacoma - Hodges#10303 (Trichordestra tacoma) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Trichordestra tacoma - Hodges#10303?
wingspan about 30 mm, based on photos by Jim Vargo at MPG
How do you identify Trichordestra tacoma - Hodges#10303?
Adult: forewing brownish-gray with dark gray patches; subterminal area pale purplish-gray; subterminal line whitish, with distinct W-shaped jog near middle; hindwing yellowish-gray with dark veins and broad dark terminal band; fringe pale basally, dark distally
Where is Trichordestra tacoma - Hodges#10303 found?
Range: across southern Canada and northern United States, south in the west to California
What does Trichordestra tacoma - Hodges#10303 eat?
The diet of the Trichordestra tacoma - Hodges#10303 includes larvae feed on willow, willowherb, chokecherry, elderberry, blueberry, spiraea, birch, spreading dogbane, and other shrubs and low plants [Handfield, 1999].
When is Trichordestra tacoma - Hodges#10303 active?
Trichordestra tacoma - Hodges#10303: seasonal activity - adults fly from May to July.