Zenodoxus heucherae - Hodges#2515
Zenodoxus heucherae
This record describes Zenodoxus heucherae (species). Recorded family: Sesiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Cossoidea
- Family
- Sesiidae (Clearwing Moths)
- Subfamily
- Tinthiinae
- Tribe
- Tinthiini
- Genus
- Zenodoxus
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Sierra Nevadas of California from Modoc County to Tuolumne County. Type Location: Lake Tahoe, California.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Adults are known to visit the flowers of pink alumroot ( Heuchera rubescens , Saxifragaceae) but it is not certain that is the larval host.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Specific name heucherae from the genus name for alumroot ( Heuchera ). The adults were first found on flowers of Heuchera rubescens .
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Zenodoxus heucherae. 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 Zenodoxus heucherae - Hodges#2515 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Tom Bentley; Additional contributions by Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Zenodoxus heucherae - Hodges#2515
How big is Zenodoxus heucherae - Hodges#2515?
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Forewing | Forewing length 5-10 mm. |
| Wingspan | Wingspan 18-24 mm. |
Where is Zenodoxus heucherae - Hodges#2515 found?
Range: Sierra Nevadas of California from Modoc County to Tuolumne County. Type Location: Lake Tahoe, California.
What does Zenodoxus heucherae - Hodges#2515 eat?
The diet of the Zenodoxus heucherae - Hodges#2515 includes Adults are known to visit the flowers of pink alumroot ( Heuchera rubescens , Saxifragaceae) but it is not certain that is the larval host..