Ermine moth
- Certain members of the unrelated snout moths (Pyralidae) are also known as "ermine moths".
| Ermine moth | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Yponomeuta evonymella | |
 | |
| Communal larval web | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Suborder: | Ditrysia |
| Superfamily: | Yponomeutoidea |
| Family: | Yponomeutidae Stephens, 1829 |
| Diversity | |
| 600 species | |
The family Yponomeutidae are known as the ermine moths, with several hundred species, most of them in the tropics. The larvae tend to form communal webs,[1] and some are minor pests in agriculture, forestry, and horticulture. Some of the adults are very attractive. Adult moths are minor pollinators.
There are five or six subfamilies. Some authors also include the closely related Plutellidae as yet another subfamily:
Subfamilies
- Argyresthiinae
- Attevinae
- Praydinae
- Saridoscelinae
- Scythropiinae (sometimes in Yponomeutinae)
- Yponomeutinae
Characteristics
Ermine moths are small to medium-sized moths varying in wingspan from 8 to 31 mm (0.3 to 1.2 in). The heads mostly have smooth scales, the haustellum is naked and the labial palps are curved upwards. The maxillary palps usually consist of one or two segments. The wings are long, often with fringes on the trailing edges of the hindwings. The colour is usually white, pale grey or drab, often with many dark speckles.[2]
Adult ermine moths are mostly nocturnal. The larvae are leaf-webbers, leaf skeletonizers, leafminers or needleminers and are found on a variety of host plants. Some cause economic damage to crops and trees.[2]
Species include
- Ailanthus webworm, Atteva aurea
- Spindle ermine, Yponomeuta cagnagellus.
- Bird-cherry ermine, Yponomeuta evonymella.
- Orchard ermine, Yponomeuta padellus.
- Yponomeuta plumbella
- Acmosara polyxena
- Apple ermine Yponomeuta malinellus
Etymology
The word Yponomeutidae comes from the Ancient Greek ὑπό (ypo) meaning under and νομός (nomós) meaning food or dwelling, thus "feeding secretly, or burrow".[3]
References
- ↑ "The very hungry caterpillars: Thousands of moth larvae weave giant web over shrubbery to protect themselves and more importantly, their food, from predators". Daily Mail Online. Retrieved 2014-09-22.
- 1 2 Capinera, John L. (2008). Encyclopedia of Entomology. Springer Science & Business Media. pp. 1360–1361. ISBN 978-1-4020-6242-1.
- ↑ Westwood, J. O. (October 1837). Loudon, John Claudius, ed. "A series of Articles on the Insects most Injurious to Cultivators -- No. 8. The small Ermine Moth". The Gardener's magazine and register of rural and domestic improvement. 13: 434. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
External links
- An invasion of caterpillars has city covered in webs, 25 May 2009, Dutch Daily News.
- Alien invasions, horror stories, or just the Ermine moth?, 17 June 2010, Natural History Museum.
- Caterpillars infesting trees in Lewes, 13 May 2011, Sussex Express.
- Ermine moth larvae infest Bradford park, 19 May 2011, BBC News Online.
- Web of intrigue on Jesus Green trees, 19 May 2011, Cambridge Evening News.
-
Media related to Yponomeutidae at Wikimedia Commons