Thyrocopa apatela

Thyrocopa apatela
Thyrocopa apatela
Haleakala National Park
Maui, Hawaii
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Oecophoridae
Genus: Thyrocopa
Species: T. apatel
Binomial name
Thyrocopa apatela
(Walsingham, 1907)
Synonyms
  • Hodegia apatela Walsingham, 1907
  • Thyrocopa mediomaculata Walsingham, 1907

Thyrocopa apatela, (common names: Grasshopper Moth,[1] and Haleakala flightless moth[2]), is a species of brachypterous (flightless) moth from Maui, Hawaii.[3]

This species appears to be undergoing severe range reduction. Although it was found as low as 1,524 meters in the 1970s, recent collecting indicates it is now restricted to areas above 2,900 meters. This may be the result of the range expansion of introduced ants on Haleakala.

The length of the forewings is 8–11 mm. Adults are on wing from May to August. It is largely diurnal, though they occasionally come to light. Adults are mostly collected while hopping between sunny rocks.

The larva is likely a generalist, feeding on Dubautia and other plant species found in the alpine scrub of Haleakala’s high elevation areas. Larvae have also been found feeding on wind-blown debris under small rocks.

References

  1. University of California, Berkeley
  2. Thyrocopa apatela, Haleakala flightless moth,(Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae)
  3. A new species of flightless, jumping, alpine moth of the genus Thyrocopa from Hawaii

External links


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