Virbia fragilis - Hodges#8125
Virbia fragilis
This record describes Virbia fragilis (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
The identification of the western species in this complex, V. aurantiaca (Huebner), V. fragilis (Strecker), and V. ferruginosa (Walker) is not clearcut, and the taxonomy is in need of revision.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Erebidae
- Subfamily
- Arctiinae
- Tribe
- Arctiini
- Genus
- Virbia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
A species of western mountains. "This species has been collected in open fields in the Black Hills, South Dakota and in Boulder, Colorado. The range extends north to Alberta and British Columbia, south to New Mexico." ( See Genus Revision
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Virbia fragilis. 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 Virbia fragilis - Hodges#8125 (4)
Photo credits: Contributed by Will Chatfield-Taylor; Additional contributions by ceiseman , Robert Lord Zimlich , dennepj10 , Robert H. Biagi
Frequently Asked Questions About Virbia fragilis - Hodges#8125
What is Virbia fragilis - Hodges#8125?
Virbia fragilis - Hodges#8125 (Virbia fragilis) is a species in the family Erebidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Virbia fragilis - Hodges#8125?
The identification of the western species in this complex, V. aurantiaca (Huebner), V. fragilis (Strecker), and V. ferruginosa (Walker) is not clearcut, and the taxonomy is in need of revision.
Where is Virbia fragilis - Hodges#8125 found?
Range: A species of western mountains. This species has been collected in open fields in the Black Hills, South Dakota and in Boulder, Colorado. The range extends north to Alberta and British Columbia, south to New Mexico. ( See Genus Revision