Batia lambdella
Encyclopedia
Batia lambdella is a species
of gelechioid moth. It belongs to the subfamily Oecophorinae
of the concealer moth family
(Oecophoridae). The genus Batia is sometimes treated as monotypic
, but this seems spurious considering how similar B. lambdella is to the type species
B. lunaris
(Lesser Tawny Crescent).
Its wingspan
is 11–17 mm, and in general the imagines
(adults) resemble B. lunaris, but are about half as large again. The forewings are dark ochre
, slightly darker at the tips and the hairy fringe surrounding them. At the border between the light and dark parts there is an interrupted broad dark line across the forewings, the dorsal part of which forms a continuous pointed patch if the wings are laid back while the moth rests.
It is found in Europe
, where it is not rare in many woodland
s. It is even widely found at the outer limit of its range, ranging far into Scotland
and Ireland
on the British Isles
. The generally nocturnal adults fly from June to September. The caterpillar
s inhabit dead twigs and small branches, where they feed on dried-out decayed wood. A notable host plant is gorse
(Ulex).
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of gelechioid moth. It belongs to the subfamily Oecophorinae
Oecophorinae
| image = Philobota1.jpg| image_width = 250px| image_caption = Adult of Philobota arabella or a related species,Aranda | regnum = Animalia| phylum = Arthropoda| classis = Insecta| ordo = Lepidoptera| subordo = Glossata| infraordo = Heteroneura...
of the concealer moth family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
(Oecophoridae). The genus Batia is sometimes treated as monotypic
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
, but this seems spurious considering how similar B. lambdella is to the type species
Type species
In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
B. lunaris
Batia lunaris
The Lesser Tawny Crescent is a species of gelechioid moth. It belongs to the subfamily Oecophorinae of the concealer moth family . It is the type species of the genus Batia, which is sometimes treated as monotypic...
(Lesser Tawny Crescent).
Its wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
is 11–17 mm, and in general the imagines
Imago
In biology, the imago is the last stage of development of an insect, after the last ecdysis of an incomplete metamorphosis, or after emergence from the pupa where the metamorphosis is complete...
(adults) resemble B. lunaris, but are about half as large again. The forewings are dark ochre
Ochre
Ochre is the term for both a golden-yellow or light yellow brown color and for a form of earth pigment which produces the color. The pigment can also be used to create a reddish tint known as "red ochre". The more rarely used terms "purple ochre" and "brown ochre" also exist for variant hues...
, slightly darker at the tips and the hairy fringe surrounding them. At the border between the light and dark parts there is an interrupted broad dark line across the forewings, the dorsal part of which forms a continuous pointed patch if the wings are laid back while the moth rests.
It is found in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, where it is not rare in many woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
s. It is even widely found at the outer limit of its range, ranging far into Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
on the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
. The generally nocturnal adults fly from June to September. The caterpillar
Caterpillar
Caterpillars are the larval form of members of the order Lepidoptera . They are mostly herbivorous in food habit, although some species are insectivorous. Caterpillars are voracious feeders and many of them are considered to be pests in agriculture...
s inhabit dead twigs and small branches, where they feed on dried-out decayed wood. A notable host plant is gorse
Gorse
Gorse, furze, furse or whin is a genus of about 20 plant species of thorny evergreen shrubs in the subfamily Faboideae of the pea family Fabaceae, native to western Europe and northwest Africa, with the majority of species in Iberia.Gorse is closely related to the brooms, and like them, has green...
(Ulex).