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Idia aemula complex

930471.00 — 8323 — Idia aemula complex Hübner, 1814 — Common Idia

Larval Host(s)

Presumed main host
on Block Island:

Known hosts:
unclear/unknown

Detritus (mainly leaf litter)

Remarks

Likely two species on Block Island. The species complex includes about 5 to 10 species in North America, all with low DNA barcode sequence divergence from each other.

Life History

Larvae have been recorded as detritivores, feeding mainly on dead leaves, but there are records on HOSTS of feeding on several conifer taxa, all from Canada, and an image at MPG of a larva feeding on live conifer needles. Conifer feeding and detritivory may not co-occur in any species. Occurrence data on Block Island are not consistent with reliance on conifers.

References

  • Species Page at Moth Photographers Group
  • Barcode of Life (BOLD) - Caution: Some specimens shown may not be sequenced. DNA barcode provides evidence of relatedness not proof of identification.
  • Hall et al., 2021. The Moths of North Carolina - website (identification, habitats and life history)
  • Species Page at BugGuide
  • Species Page at E. H. Strickland Museum
  • Species Page at Pacific Northwest Moths
  • Walker, F., 1860. in D'Urban, W.S.M., A systematic list of Lepidoptera collected in the vicinity of Montreal. The Canadian Naturalist and Geologist, 5(4): 265.

    • Adult phenology on Block Island of Idia aemula complex

    Abundance data late May to early October