: ''Certain members of the unrelated
snout moth
The Pyralidae, commonly called pyralid moths, snout moths or grass moths, are a family of Lepidoptera in the ditrysian superfamily Pyraloidea. In many (particularly older) classifications, the grass moths (Crambidae) are included in the Pyralida ...
s (Pyralidae) are also known as "ermine moths."
Spilosoma lubricipeda is an unrelated moth with the common name "white ermine."''
The family Yponomeutidae are known as the ermine
moth
Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately 160,000 species of moth, many of w ...
s, with several hundred species, most of them in the tropics. The
larva
A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle.
The ...
e tend to form communal webs,
and some are minor pests in
agriculture
Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...
,
forestry
Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests, woodlands, and associated resources for human and environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands. Th ...
, and
horticulture
Horticulture is the branch of agriculture that deals with the art, science, technology, and business of plant cultivation. It includes the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs, sprouts, mushrooms, algae, flowers, seaweeds and no ...
. Some of the adults are very attractive. Adult moths are minor
pollinator
A pollinator is an animal that moves pollen from the male anther of a flower to the female stigma of a flower. This helps to bring about fertilization of the ovules in the flower by the male gametes from the pollen grains.
Insects are the maj ...
s.
There are five or six
subfamilies
In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end subfamily botanical names with "-oideae", and zoologi ...
. Some authors also include the closely related
Plutellidae
The Plutellidae are a family of moths commonly known as the diamondback moths, named after the diamondback moth (''Plutella xylostella'') of European origin. It was once considered to have three subfamilies: Plutellinae, Praydinae, and Scythropi ...
as yet another subfamily:
Subfamilies
*
Saridoscelinae
*
Yponomeutinae
The following genera do not have assigned subfamilies available:
* ''
Abacistis
''Abacistis'' is a genus of moths of the family Yponomeutidae
: ''Certain members of the unrelated snout moths (Pyralidae) are also known as "ermine moths." Spilosoma lubricipeda is an unrelated moth with the common name "white ermine."''
The ...
''
* ''
Acrataula''
* ''
Aemylurgis
''Aemylurgis'' is a genus of moths of the family Yponomeutidae
: ''Certain members of the unrelated snout moths (Pyralidae) are also known as "ermine moths." Spilosoma lubricipeda is an unrelated moth with the common name "white ermine."''
The ...
''
* ''
Aictis
''Aictis'' is a genus of moth
Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately 1 ...
''
* ''
Amalthina''
* ''
Anaphantis''
* ''
Argyresthites''
* ''
Artenacia
''Artenacia'' is a genus of moth
Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately ...
''
* ''
Balanoptica
''Balanoptica'' is a genus of moth
Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximate ...
''
* ''
Betharga
''Betharga'' is a genus of moth
Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately ...
''
* ''
Buxeta
''Buxeta'' is a genus of moth
Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately 16 ...
''
* ''
Calamotis
''Calamotis'' is a genus of moth
Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately ...
''
* ''
Callithrinca
''Callithrinca'' is a genus of moth
Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approxima ...
''
* ''
Caminophantis
''Caminophantis'' is a monotypic genus of moths of the family Yponomeutidae. It presently includes only one species that was described from Fiji
Fiji ( , ,; fj, Viti, ; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी, ''Fijī''), officially the Republic ...
''
* ''
Chionaemopsis
''Chionaemopsis'' is a genus of moth
Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approxima ...
''
* ''
Citrinarchis
''Citrinarchis'' is a genus of moth
Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximat ...
''
* ''
Conchiophora
''Conchiophora'' is a genus of moth
Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximat ...
''
* ''
Coptoproctis
''Coptoproctis'' is a genus of moths of the family Yponomeutidae
: ''Certain members of the unrelated snout moths (Pyralidae) are also known as "ermine moths." Spilosoma lubricipeda is an unrelated moth with the common name "white ermine."''
T ...
''
* ''
Cymonympha''
* ''
Dascia''
* ''
Diaphragmistis''
* ''
Entrichiria''
* ''
Epactosaris
''Epactosaris'' is a genus of moths of the family Yponomeutidae.Lewis, J. A., & Sohn, J. C. (2015). Animal Genus and Species Names Index. In ''Lepidoptera: Yponomeutoidea I (Argyresthiidae, Attevidae, Praydidae, Scythropiidae, and Yponomeutidae)'' ...
''
* ''
Epichthonodes''
* ''
Eriopyrrha
''Eriopyrrha'' is a genus of moths of the family Yponomeutidae
: ''Certain members of the unrelated snout moths (Pyralidae) are also known as "ermine moths." Spilosoma lubricipeda is an unrelated moth with the common name "white ermine."''
The ...
''
* ''
Euarne''
* ''
Exanthica
''Exanthica'' is a genus of moths of the family Yponomeutidae
: ''Certain members of the unrelated snout moths (Pyralidae) are also known as "ermine moths." Spilosoma lubricipeda is an unrelated moth with the common name "white ermine."''
The ...
''
* ''
Exaulistis
''Exaulistis'' is a genus of moths of the family Yponomeutidae
: ''Certain members of the unrelated snout moths (Pyralidae) are also known as "ermine moths." Spilosoma lubricipeda is an unrelated moth with the common name "white ermine."''
The ...
''
* ''
Hesperarcha''
* ''
Hierodryas
''Hierodryas'' is a genus of moths of the family Yponomeutidae.
Species
*''Hierodryas eriochiras'' - Meyrick, 1931
Yponomeutidae
{{Yponomeutidae-stub ...
''
* ''
Ilychytis''
* ''
Iriania''
* ''
Iridostoma''
* ''
Isotornis''
* ''
Ithutomus''
* ''
Metanomeuta
''Metanomeuta'' is a genus of moths of the family Yponomeutidae
: ''Certain members of the unrelated snout moths (Pyralidae) are also known as "ermine moths." Spilosoma lubricipeda is an unrelated moth with the common name "white ermine."''
Th ...
''
* ''
Metharmostis''
* ''
Mnemoses
''Mnemoses'' is a genus of moths of the family Yponomeutidae
: ''Certain members of the unrelated snout moths (Pyralidae) are also known as "ermine moths." Spilosoma lubricipeda is an unrelated moth with the common name "white ermine."''
The f ...
''
* ''
Mychonoa''
* ''
Nematobola
''Nematobola'' is a genus of moths of the family Yponomeutidae
: ''Certain members of the unrelated snout moths (Pyralidae) are also known as "ermine moths." Spilosoma lubricipeda is an unrelated moth with the common name "white ermine."''
The ...
''
* ''
Nosymna''
* ''
Orencostoma
''Orencostoma'' is a genus of moths of the family Yponomeutidae.
Species
*''Orencostoma bicornigerum'' - Moriuti, 1971
Yponomeutidae
{{Yponomeutidae-stub ...
''
* ''
Oridryas
''Oridryas'' is a genus of moths of the family Yponomeutidae
: ''Certain members of the unrelated snout moths (Pyralidae) are also known as "ermine moths." Spilosoma lubricipeda is an unrelated moth with the common name "white ermine."''
The ...
''
* ''
Orinympha
''Orinympha'' is a genus of moths of the family Yponomeutidae
: ''Certain members of the unrelated snout moths (Pyralidae) are also known as "ermine moths." Spilosoma lubricipeda is an unrelated moth with the common name "white ermine."''
The ...
''
* ''
Orthosaris
''Orthosaris'' is a genus of moths of the family Yponomeutidae.
Species
*''Orthosaris strictulata'' - Meyrick, 1914
Yponomeutidae
{{Yponomeutidae-stub ...
''
* ''
Palaetheta''
* ''
Parazelota
''Parazelota'' is a genus of moths of the family Yponomeutidae
: ''Certain members of the unrelated snout moths (Pyralidae) are also known as "ermine moths." Spilosoma lubricipeda is an unrelated moth with the common name "white ermine."''
The ...
''
* ''
Parexaula
''Parexaula'' is a genus of moths of the family Yponomeutidae
: ''Certain members of the unrelated snout moths (Pyralidae) are also known as "ermine moths." Spilosoma lubricipeda is an unrelated moth with the common name "white ermine."''
The ...
''
* ''
Pauridioneura
''Pauridioneura'' is a genus of moths of the family Yponomeutidae
: ''Certain members of the unrelated snout moths (Pyralidae) are also known as "ermine moths." Spilosoma lubricipeda is an unrelated moth with the common name "white ermine."''
...
''
* ''
Phasmatographa''
* ''
Piestoceros''
* ''
Podiasa''
* ''
Porphyrocrates''
* ''
Pronomeuta''
* ''
Protonoma''
* ''
Pseudorinympha
''Pseudorinympha'' is a genus of moths of the family Yponomeutidae
: ''Certain members of the unrelated snout moths (Pyralidae) are also known as "ermine moths." Spilosoma lubricipeda is an unrelated moth with the common name "white ermine."''
...
''
* ''
Thyridectis''
* ''
Toiana''
* ''
Trisophista''
* ''
Typhogenes''
Characteristics
Ermine moths are small to medium-sized moths varying in wingspan from . 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.
Adult ermine moths are mostly
nocturnal
Nocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal", versus diurnal meaning the opposite.
Nocturnal creatures generally have highly developed sens ...
.
The larvae are leaf-webbers, leaf skeletonizers, leafminers or needleminers and are found on a variety of
host
A host is a person responsible for guests at an event or for providing hospitality during it.
Host may also refer to:
Places
* Host, Pennsylvania, a village in Berks County
People
*Jim Host (born 1937), American businessman
* Michel Host ...
plants. Some cause economic damage to crops and trees.
[
]
Species (selection)
Better-known species include:
* Spindle ermine, ''Yponomeuta cagnagella''
* Bird-cherry ermine, ''Yponomeuta evonymella''
* Orchard ermine, ''Yponomeuta padella''
* '' Yponomeuta plumbella''
* ''Acmosara polyxena
''Acmosara polyxena'' is a species of moth in the family Yponomeutidae. It is found in Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the isl ...
''
* Apple ermine ''Yponomeuta malinellus''
* Ailanthus webworm
The ailanthus webworm (''Atteva aurea'') is an ermine moth now found commonly in the United States. It was formerly known under the scientific name ''Atteva punctella'' (see Taxonomy section). This small, very colorful moth resembles a true bug o ...
Etymology
The word Yponomeutidae comes from the Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic peri ...
(') meaning under and (') meaning food or dwelling, thus "feeding secretly, or burrow".
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Moths of Australia