Joyful Virbia - Hodges#8114
Virbia laeta
This record describes Virbia laeta (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult : FW fuscous to dark grayish brown with a light salmon band. The hindwings are geranium pink.
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
Habitat
Pine woodlands ; or possibly a generalist with affinity to xeric habitats ( Moths of North Carolina )
Geographic Range
Found from New Brunswick south to Florida and west to Minnesota and south to Texas.
Seasonal Activity
Louisiana, adults have been recorded on wing year round (except December). In Texas, there are two generations per year with adults on wing in March and June. In the northern parts of the range, there seems to be one generation per year, with adults on wing in June and July.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae have been reared on dandelion and plantain species.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Virbia laeta. 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 Joyful Virbia - Hodges#8114 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Matthew Roth; Additional contributions by anitagould , ceiseman , Robert Lord Zimlich , marcie oconnor , Fyn Kynd
Frequently Asked Questions About Joyful Virbia - Hodges#8114
What is Joyful Virbia - Hodges#8114?
Joyful Virbia - Hodges#8114 (Virbia laeta) is a species in the family Erebidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Joyful Virbia - Hodges#8114?
FWL ≈ 11 mm (male), 17 mm (female) WS ≈ 21 mm (based on Moth Photographers Group specimen)
How do you identify Joyful Virbia - Hodges#8114?
Adult : FW fuscous to dark grayish brown with a light salmon band. The hindwings are geranium pink.
Where is Joyful Virbia - Hodges#8114 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Pine woodlands ; or possibly a generalist with affinity to xeric habitats ( Moths of North Carolina ) |
| Range | Found from New Brunswick south to Florida and west to Minnesota and south to Texas. |
What does Joyful Virbia - Hodges#8114 eat?
The diet of the Joyful Virbia - Hodges#8114 includes Larvae have been reared on dandelion and plantain species..
When is Joyful Virbia - Hodges#8114 active?
Joyful Virbia - Hodges#8114: seasonal activity - Louisiana, adults have been recorded on wing year round (except December). In Texas, there are two generations per year with adults on wing in March and June. In the northern parts of the range, there seems to be one generation per year, with adults on wing in June and July..