Tawny Virbia - Hodges#8118
Virbia opella
This record describes Virbia opella (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Additional details | Adult : A highly phenotypically variable species ranging from a dark charcoal form to a pinkish form. Nearly all have a brown discal spot in the hindwing, although the spot is obscured in the dark form, and paler forms may lack the discal spot. |
| Head | Head olive brown. Antennal scales olive brown. Third segment of labial palpus exceeding front of head by at least half of entire length, first and second segments orange rufous, third segment olive brown. |
| Legs | Legs cinnamon, occasionally suffused with orange-rufous scales. Dorsal surface olive brown to dark drab with a sepia discal spot present, ventral surface clay suffused with salmon extending from adbasal region through medial region. Genitalia: ♀ ♂ |
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
Occurs from Maine, west to Illinois and south to Texas.
Seasonal Activity
Multivoltine, and adult males and females fly at night and can be collected at a black light in habitats ranging from oak forest to scrub oak.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae have been reared on dandelion (Taraxacum)
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Virbia opella. 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 Tawny Virbia - Hodges#8118 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Beatriz Moisset; Additional contributions by anitagould , Maury Heiman , ceiseman , Robert Lord Zimlich , Randy Hardy , Kyhl Austin , Robert H. Biagi
Frequently Asked Questions About Tawny Virbia - Hodges#8118
What is Tawny Virbia - Hodges#8118?
Tawny Virbia - Hodges#8118 (Virbia opella) is a species in the family Erebidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Tawny Virbia - Hodges#8118?
FWL: 11mm WS: 22-28 mm, based on Moth Photographers Group specimens
How do you identify Tawny Virbia - Hodges#8118?
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Additional details | Adult : A highly phenotypically variable species ranging from a dark charcoal form to a pinkish form. Nearly all have a brown discal spot in the hindwing, although the spot is obscured in the dark form, and paler forms may lack the discal spot. |
| Head | Head olive brown. Antennal scales olive brown. Third segment of labial palpus exceeding front of head by at least half of entire length, first and second segments orange rufous, third segment olive brown. |
| Legs | Legs cinnamon, occasionally suffused with orange-rufous scales. Dorsal surface olive brown to dark drab with a sepia discal spot present, ventral surface clay suffused with salmon extending from adbasal region through medial region. Genitalia: ♀ ♂ |
Where is Tawny Virbia - Hodges#8118 found?
Range: Occurs from Maine, west to Illinois and south to Texas.
What does Tawny Virbia - Hodges#8118 eat?
The diet of the Tawny Virbia - Hodges#8118 includes Larvae have been reared on dandelion (Taraxacum).
When is Tawny Virbia - Hodges#8118 active?
Tawny Virbia - Hodges#8118: seasonal activity - Multivoltine, and adult males and females fly at night and can be collected at a black light in habitats ranging from oak forest to scrub oak..