Poaceae Poaceae () or Gramineae () is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, bamboos and the grasses of natural grassland and species cultivated in lawns an ...

, or Gramineae, grasses are very important food plants for the

caterpillar Caterpillars ( ) are the larval stage of members of the order Lepidoptera (the insect order comprising butterflies and moths). As with most common names, the application of the word is arbitrary, since the larvae of sawflies (suborder Sy ...

s of a number of

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) is an order of insects that includes butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 families and 46 superfamilies, 10 percent of the total described speci ...

(butterflies and moths), including:

Monophagous

Species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriat ...

which feed exclusively on Poaceae: * Bedelliidae ** '' Bedellia oplismeniella'' – only on ''

Oplismenus compositus ''Oplismenus compositus'', the running mountaingrass, is a species of perennial plant from the family Poaceae that can be found throughout Asia ( Pakistan China), Africa, Australia, South America, Mexico and Hawaii. Description The plant ...

'', '' Panicum torridum'', and some others ** ''

Bedellia struthionella ''Bedellia struthionella'' is a moth of the family Bedelliidae. It was first described by Lord Walsingham in 1907. It is endemic to the Hawaiian islands of Oahu and Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a U.S. state, state in the We ...

'' – only on ''Panicum torridum'' * Coleophoridae ** Several ''

Coleophora ''Coleophora'' is a very large genus of moths of the family Coleophoridae. It contains some 1,350 described species. The genus is represented on all continents, but the majority are found in the Nearctic and Palaearctic regions. Many authors ...

'' case-bearer species: *** '' C. manitoba'' *** '' C. pulchricornis'' – only on sugarcane ('' Saccharum officinarum'') *** '' C. vagans'' * Gelechiidae ** ''

Chionodes psiloptera ''Chionodes psiloptera'' is a moth in the family Gelechiidae first described by William Barnes and August Busck in 1920. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from Quebec to British Columbia and then to Alaska, eastern Wash ...

'' – only on meadow-grasses ('' Poa'') and some others * Hepialidae ** '' Wiseana jocosa'' ** '' Wiseana signata'' ** ''

Wiseana umbraculatus ''Wiseana umbraculata,'' also known as the bog porina, is a species of moth belonging to the family Hepialidae. There are seven endemic species and three haplotypes of Wiseana in New Zealand including bog porina. It was regarded as being common ...

'' *

Hesperiidae Skippers are a family of the Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) named the Hesperiidae. Being diurnal, they are generally called butterflies. They were previously placed in a separate superfamily, Hesperioidea; however, the most recent taxonomy ...

**''

Poanes aaroni ''Poanes aaroni'', the saffron skipper, is a North American butterfly from the skipper family (Hesperiidae Skippers are a family of the Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) named the Hesperiidae. Being diurnal, they are generally called butt ...

'' (saffron skipper) – only on smooth cordgrass ('' Spartina alterniflora'') ** '' Poanes hobomok'' (Hobomok skipper) – only on '' Panicum'', meadow-grasses (''Poa''), and some others ** ''

Poanes yehl ''Poanes yehl'', the Yehl skipper, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is found from southeastern Virginia west to southwestern Missouri and south to eastern Texas, the Gulf Coast and northern Florida. The wingspan is 34–45 ...

'' (Yehl skipper) – only on '' Arundinaria'' ** '' Poanes zabulon'' (Zabulon skipper) – only on bentgrasses (''

Agrostis ''Agrostis'' (bent or bentgrass) is a large and very nearly cosmopolitan genus of plants in the grass family, found in nearly all the countries in the world. It has been bred as a GMO creeping bent grass. Species * '' Agrostis aequivalvi'' ...

''), cocksfoot (''

Dactylis ''Dactylis'' is a genus of Eurasian and North African plants in the bluegrass subfamily within the grass family. ''Dactylis'' is native to North Africa, they are found throughout the world, and are an invasive species. They are known in Engl ...

''), ''

Elytrigia ''Elytrigia'' is a genus of about 20–40 species of grasses, native to temperate regions of the Old World, in Europe, Asia, and northwest Africa. The species are sometimes included in the related genera ''Agropyron'' or '' Elymus'', while spec ...

'', lovegrasses ('' Eragrostis''), '' Leymus'', meadow-grasses (''Poa''), alkali grasses ('' Puccinellia''), '' Tridens'', and some others *

Noctuidae The Noctuidae, commonly known as owlet moths, cutworms or armyworms, are a family of moths. They are considered the most controversial family in the superfamily Noctuoidea because many of the clades are constantly changing, along with the other ...

** '' Apamea crenata'' (clouded-bordered brindle) – only on cocksfoot (''Dactylis''), hair grasses (''

Deschampsia ''Deschampsia'' is a genus of plants in the grass family, commonly known as hair grass or tussock grass. The genus is widespread across many countries.

''), fescues (''

Festuca ''Festuca'' (fescue) is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the grass family Poaceae (subfamily Pooideae). They are evergreen or herbaceous perennial tufted grasses with a height range of and a cosmopolitan distribution, occurring on ever ...

''), ''

Phalaris Phalaris ( el, Φάλαρις) was the tyrant of Akragas (now Agrigento) in Sicily, from approximately 570 to 554 BC. History Phalaris was renowned for his excessive cruelty. Among his alleged atrocities is cannibalism: he was said to have ...

'', and some others ** '' Apamea monoglypha'' (dark arches) – only on hair grasses (''Deschampsia''), fescues (''Festuca''), and some others ** '' Apamea remissa'' (dusky brocade) – only on small-reeds ('' Calamagrostis''), hair grasses (''Deschampsia''), festuces (''Festuca''), ''Phalaris'',

ryes Ryes () is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France. Population Administration Ryes was the seat of the former canton of Ryes, which included 25 communes. Since 2015, it is part of the canton of B ...

(''Secale''), and some others ** '' Apamea sordens'' (rustic shoulder-knot) – only on oats ('' Avena''), cocksfoot (''Dactylis''), festuces (''Festuca''), barleys (''Hordeum''), '' Leymus'', ''Phalaris'', catstails (''

Phleum ''Phleum'' (timothy) is a genus of annual and perennial plants in the grass family. The genus is native to Europe, Asia and north Africa, with one species (''P. alpinum'') also in North and South America. They are tufted grasses growing to 2 ...

''), ryes (''

Secale ''Secale'' is a genus of the grass tribe Triticeae, which is related to barley (''Hordeum'') and wheat (''Triticum''). The genus includes cultivated species such as rye (''Secale cereale'') as well as weedy and wild rye species. The most well k ...

''), wheats (''

Triticum Wheat is a grass widely cultivated for its seed, a cereal grain that is a worldwide staple food. The many species of wheat together make up the genus ''Triticum'' ; the most widely grown is common wheat (''T. aestivum''). The archaeological ...

''), teosintes and maize ('' Zea''), wild rice ('' Zizania''), and perhaps some others ** '' Cerapteryx graminis'' (antler moth) – only on hair grasses (''Deschampsia''), festuces (''Festuca''), ''

Nardus ''Nardus'' is a genus of plants belonging to the grass family, containing the single species ''Nardus stricta'', known as matgrass. It is placed in its own tribe Nardeae within the subfamily Pooideae. The name derives from ancient Greek ' () fro ...

'', and some others ** '' Leucania comma'' (shoulder-striped wainscot) – only on hair grasses (''Deschampsia''), festuces (''Festuca''), and some others ** '' Mythimna ferrago'' (the clay) – only on hair grasses (''Deschampsia'') and some others ** '' Mythimna pallens'' (common wainscot) – only on hair grasses (''Deschampsia''), festuces (''Festuca''), '' Leymus'', ryegrasses (''

Lolium ''Lolium'' is a genus of tufted grasses in the bluegrass subfamily (Pooideae). It is often called ryegrass, but this term is sometimes used to refer to grasses in other genera. They are characterized by bunch-like growth habits. ''Lolium'' ...

''), ''Phalaris'', and some others ** '' Oligia latruncula'' (tawny marbled minor) – only on small-reed (''Calamagrostis''), cocksfoot (''Dactylis''), and some others ** '' Oligia strigilis'' (marbled minor) – only on crested-wheat grasses (''

Agropyron ''Agropyron'' is a genus of Eurasian plants in the grass family), native to Europe and Asia but widely naturalized in North America. Species in the genus are commonly referred to as wheatgrass. ; Species * ''Agropyron badamense'' - Tajikis ...

''), cocksfoot (''Dactylis''), ''

'', meadow-grasses (''Poa''), and some others ** '' Oligia versicolor'' (rufous minor) ** '' Omphaloscelis lunosa'' (lunar underwing) ** '' Thalpophila matura'' (straw underwing) – only on cocksfoot (''Dactylis'') and some others

Polyphagous Feeding is the process by which organisms, typically animals, obtain food. Terminology often uses either the suffixes -vore, -vory, or -vorous from Latin ''vorare'', meaning "to devour", or -phage, -phagy, or -phagous from Greek φαγε ...

Species which feed on Poaceae and other plants: *

Arctiidae The Arctiinae (formerly called the family Arctiidae) are a large and diverse subfamily of moths with around 11,000 species found all over the world, including 6,000 neotropical species.Scoble, MJ. (1995). ''The Lepidoptera: Form, Function and ...

** ''

Hypercompe eridanus ''Hypercompe eridanus'' is a moth of the family Erebidae first described by Pieter Cramer in 1775. It is found in Colombia, Suriname and French Guiana. Larvae have been recorded feeding on ''Cissus'', ''Citrus'', ''Erythrina'', ''Ipomoea'' ...

'' – recorded on '' Panicum'' and possibly others * Coleophoridae ** Several ''

'' case-bearer species: *** '' C. lixella'' – recorded on quaking grasses ('' Briza''), soft-grasses ('' Holcus''), and possibly others *** '' C. ornatipennella'' *** '' C. tricolor'' *** '' C. viridicuprella'' * Crambidae ** '' Agriphila inquinatella'' – recorded on sheep's fescue (''

Festuca ovina ''Festuca ovina'', sheep's fescue or sheep fescue, is a species of grass. It is sometimes confused with hard fescue (''Festuca trachyphylla''). General description It is a perennial plant sometimes found in acidic ground, and in mountain pastur ...

''), meadow-grasses ('' Poa''), and others * Hepialidae ** '' Hepialus humuli'' (ghost moth) ** '' Korscheltellus lupulina'' (common swift) ** '' Wiseana cervinata'' *

** ''

Poanes viator ''Poanes viator'', the broad-winged skipper, is a skipper butterfly found in North America. Distribution It ranges from Texas to Florida and along the east coast to Massachusetts and west to southern Quebec and Ontario to the Dakotas.Jim P. Br ...

'' (broad-winged skipper) – recorded on '' Panicum'', common reeds (''

Phragmites ''Phragmites'' () is a genus of four species of large perennial reed grasses found in wetlands throughout temperate and tropical regions of the world. Taxonomy The World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, maintained by Kew Garden in L ...

''), wild rice ('' Zizania''), '' Zizaniopsis'', and possibly others *

** '' Eugnorisma glareosa'' (autumnal rustic) – recorded on meadow-grasses (''Poa'') and others ** '' Euxoa nigricans'' (garden dart) ** '' Mythimna impura'' (smoky wainscot) – recorded on foxtail grasses ('' Alopecurus''), cocksfoot (''

''), hair grasses (''

Deschampsia ''Deschampsia'' is a genus of plants in the grass family, commonly known as hair grass or tussock grass. The genus is widespread across many countries.

''), '' Leymus'', common reeds (''Phragmites''), and others ** '' Noctua pronuba'' (large yellow underwing) ** '' Xestia sexstrigata'' (six-striped rustic) ** '' Xestia xanthographa'' (square-spot rustic)

References

External links

*{{cite web , last1=Robinson , first1=Gaden S. , last2=Ackery , first2=Phillip R. , last3=Kitching , first3=Ian J. , last4=Beccaloni , first4=George W. , last5=Hernández , first5=Luis M. , name-list-style=amp , date=2010 , url=https://www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/data/hostplants/search/list.dsml?searchPageURL=index.dsml&PFamily=Gramineae&sort=Family , title=Hostplant Family: Gramineae , website=HOSTS - A Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants , publisher=

Natural History Museum, London The Natural History Museum in London is a museum that exhibits a vast range of specimens from various segments of natural history. It is one of three major museums on Exhibition Road in South Kensington, the others being the Science Museum an ...

Grasses Poaceae () or Gramineae () is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, bamboos and the grasses of natural grassland and species cultivated in lawns ...

Grasses Poaceae Lepidoptera food