Zale obliqua - Hodges#8699
Zale obliqua
This record describes Zale obliqua (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Erebidae
- Subfamily
- Erebinae
- Tribe
- Omopterini
- Genus
- Zale
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
barens, plantations, pinelands, and mixed-pine woodlands
Geographic Range
probably throughout the Atlantic coast region to Canada and westward to the Mississippi (Smith, 1908). Also Texas, probably not present in the northern Great Lakes
Diet and Behavior
Diet: pitch pine in the north and probably loblolly, pond, and longleaf pine in the south
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Zale obliqua. 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 Zale obliqua - Hodges#8699 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Troy Bartlett; Additional contributions by Bob Patterson , Steve Nanz , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Zale obliqua - Hodges#8699
How big is Zale obliqua - Hodges#8699?
wingspan 37-48mm (Smith, 1908) larva to 45mm
Where is Zale obliqua - Hodges#8699 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | barens, plantations, pinelands, and mixed-pine woodlands |
| Range | probably throughout the Atlantic coast region to Canada and westward to the Mississippi (Smith, 1908). Also Texas, probably not present in the northern Great Lakes |
What does Zale obliqua - Hodges#8699 eat?
The diet of the Zale obliqua - Hodges#8699 includes pitch pine in the north and probably loblolly, pond, and longleaf pine in the south.