Yponomeuta padella

Yponomeuta padella (orchard ermine) is a lepidopteran from the family Yponomeutidae, the ermine moths.It is also known as the cherry ermine

Orchard ermine
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Yponomeutidae
Genus: Yponomeuta
Species:
Y. padella
Binomial name
Yponomeuta padella
Synonyms
  • Phalaena padella Linnaeus, 1758
  • Yponomeuta diffluellus Heinemann, 1870 ("Hyponomeuta")
  • Yponomeuta rhamnellus Gershenson, 1974

The wingspan ranges from 19 to 22 millimetres (3⁄4 to 7⁄8 in).The head is white. Forewings are light grey, sometimes more or less suffused with white, especially towards dorsum ; four longitudinal series of few black dots, first not reaching middle, second beginning beyond extremity of first, lowest including 4-6 dots; some additional black dots before termen ; cilia light grey. Hindwings are rather dark grey.The larva is greenish-grey ; spots black ; head black. [2]


The flight time ranges from July to August. The moth is attracted to light.

Host plant

The larvae feed on Prunus spinosa, Crataegus and Prunus.

Similar species, which can also be pests are,

Taxonomy

Both Yponomeuta diffluellus Heinemann, 1870 and Yponomeuta rhamnellus Gershenson, 1974 were treated as valid species by Gershenson and Ulenberg in 1998, but most authors regard them as synonyms of Yponomeuta padella.

  • Y. padella pupae
  • Y. padella caterpillars

References
  1. Fauna Europaea
  2. Meyrick, E., 1895 A Handbook of British Lepidoptera MacMillan, London pdf This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. Keys and description


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