Vaxi tripsacas - Hodges#5467
Vaxi tripsacas
This record describes Vaxi tripsacas (species). Recorded family: Crambidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Dyar original description as Crambus tripsacas is available online in the print references. Summary: White forewing has three bold dark spots in the median area. Thorax has two dark yellow longitudinal stripes.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pyraloidea
- Family
- Crambidae (Crambid Snout Moths)
- Subfamily
- Crambinae
- Tribe
- Calamotrophini
- Genus
- Vaxi
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Coastal dunes.
Geographic Range
Florida and Alabama. , , West Indies. Moth Photographers Group - large map with some distribution data.
Seasonal Activity
February to July and October to December. ,
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Grasses (Gramineae) ( 4 )
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: This species, transferred to the genus Argyria in Munroe (1995), is returned to Vaxi following the implied treatment in Léger et al. (2019), Syst. Entomol., 44(4):770, which placed Argyria in the tribe Argyriini and Vaxi in the tribe Calamotrophini, stat. rev.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Vaxi tripsacas. 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 Vaxi tripsacas - Hodges#5467 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz
Frequently Asked Questions About Vaxi tripsacas - Hodges#5467
What is Vaxi tripsacas - Hodges#5467?
Vaxi tripsacas - Hodges#5467 (Vaxi tripsacas) is a species in the family Crambidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Vaxi tripsacas - Hodges#5467?
Wingspan 14-16 mm.
How do you identify Vaxi tripsacas - Hodges#5467?
Dyar original description as Crambus tripsacas is available online in the print references. Summary: White forewing has three bold dark spots in the median area. Thorax has two dark yellow longitudinal stripes.
Where is Vaxi tripsacas - Hodges#5467 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Coastal dunes. |
| Range | Florida and Alabama. , , West Indies. Moth Photographers Group - large map with some distribution data. |
What does Vaxi tripsacas - Hodges#5467 eat?
The diet of the Vaxi tripsacas - Hodges#5467 includes Grasses (Gramineae) ( 4 ).
When is Vaxi tripsacas - Hodges#5467 active?
Vaxi tripsacas - Hodges#5467: seasonal activity - February to July and October to December. ,.