Yponomeuta Rhamnellus

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

The wingspan ranges from . 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.

Biology

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

Host plant

The larvae feed on '' Prunus spinosa'', other '' Prunus'' spp., ''Crataegus''.

Distribution

''Yponomeuta padella'' is widespread in Europe and can be found in all biotopes where the food plants are found. In the former Soviet Union , it is widespread in the European part in the north up to the Saint Petersburg area. In the east it is distributed in Transcaucasia, southern Kazakhstan, and central Asia. The species was introduced into North America.

In Northern Ireland, ''Y. padella'' first appeared when defoliation was observed in hedges of common hawthorn ('' Crataegus monogyna'') and blackthorn ('' Prunus spinosa'') in 1972. Up to this point, there was no record of ''Y. padella'' , although '' Y. malinellus'' occurred locally. In parts of the Republic of Ireland , the distribution of ''Y. padella'' reached epidemic proportions within 30 years. In a period of 10 years, the species colonized an area of ​​more than and is still spreading. Within this area, populations appeared random, most hedges were uninfested, while in infested areas populations persisted for many years.

''Y.padella'' is introduced to North America, first found in British Columbia and then Washington.

Similar species

''Y. padella'' is part of a complex of species whose representatives can only be distinguished from similar species with great difficulty , even with genital examinations.From ''Yponomeuta malinellus'' it is most easily distinguished by the host plant, but even that is not always reliable. Usually the grayish fringed scales distinguish the ''Y. padella'' from ''Yponomeuta malinellus'', while the greyish pollination of the forewings distinguishes it from '' Yponomeuta cagnagella''. In '' Yponomeuta rorella'' (Hübner, 1796), the greyish pollination has a slightly different structure. According to Povel 1984,GDE Povel, 1984 The identification of the European small ermine moths, with special reference to the ''Yponomeuta padellus''-complex (Lepidoptera, Yponomeutidae). ''proc. K. ned. Akad. Wet''. (C), 87(2): pp. 149-180 the number of antennae segments can be used for differentiation. ''Y. padella'' has 51 to 57, ''Y. malinellus'' 50 to 56 and ''Y. cagnagella'' 56 to 65 antennal segments. The complex also includes '' Yponomeuta evonymella''.

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''.

Image:Yponomeuta.padella.pupae.jpg, Pupae
Image:Yponomeuta.padella.jpg
Image:Yponomeuta.padella.emerging.adult.jpg
Image:Yponomeuta.padella.caterpillars.jpg, Caterpillars
File:Meidoornstippelmot.ogg, In a few weeks the hedge is green again

References

External links

Washington State University
site on horticultural pests. ''Yponomeuta padella'' = cherry ermine moth (CEM)
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Yponomeutidae
Insect pests of ornamental plants
Moths described in 1758
Moths of Europe
Moths of Asia
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus

{{Yponomeutidae-stub