Importance For Lepidoptera
Eriogonum species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths). Several of these are monophagous, meaning their caterpillars only feed on this genus, sometimes just on a single taxon of Eriogonum. Wild buckwheat flowers are also an important source of food for these and other Lepidoptera. In some cases, the relationship is so close that Eriogonum and dependent Lepidoptera are in danger of coextinction.
Monophagous Lepidoptera on wild buckwheat include:
- Apodemia mormo (Mormon metalmark) - feeds exclusively on Eriogonum
- Apodemia mormo langei (Lange's metalmark) - only known from Eriogonum nudum ssp. auriculatum
- Chionodes dammersi - feeds exclusively on Eriogonum
- Chionodes luteogeminatus - only known from Eriogonum niveum
- Euphilotes enoptes smithi (Smith's blue butterfly) - only known from Eriogonum latifolium and Eriogonum parvifolium
Read more about this topic: Eriogonum
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