Xestia plebeia - Hodges#11011
Xestia plebeia
This record describes Xestia plebeia (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult: forewing light grayish-brown with dark gray reniform, orbicular, and claviform spots forming a tight dark cluster -- a prominent feature; AM and PM lines double, broken or indistinct; subterminal line has small dark patch at costa; hindwing gray (paler basally) with dark veins and discal spot, but pale fringe; tegulae (shoulder pads) dark gray, contrasting against paler color on top of thorax Specimens identified by DNA analysis: The type specimens (males and females) were collected in Vancouver, British Columbia and in California.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
- Subfamily
- Noctuinae
- Tribe
- Noctuini
- Genus
- Xestia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
California and Utah to British Columbia and Alberta
Seasonal Activity
adults fly from August to October in California
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Xestia plebeia. 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 Xestia plebeia - Hodges#11011 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Robert H. Biagi
Frequently Asked Questions About Xestia plebeia - Hodges#11011
What is Xestia plebeia - Hodges#11011?
Xestia plebeia - Hodges#11011 (Xestia plebeia) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Xestia plebeia - Hodges#11011?
Adult: forewing light grayish-brown with dark gray reniform, orbicular, and claviform spots forming a tight dark cluster -- a prominent feature; AM and PM lines double, broken or indistinct; subterminal line has small dark patch at costa; hindwing gray (paler basally) with dark veins and discal spot, but pale fringe; tegulae (shoulder pads) dark gray, contrasting against paler color on top of thorax Specimens identified by DNA analysis:
Where is Xestia plebeia - Hodges#11011 found?
Range: California and Utah to British Columbia and Alberta
When is Xestia plebeia - Hodges#11011 active?
Xestia plebeia - Hodges#11011: seasonal activity - adults fly from August to October in California.