Yarrow Plume
Gillmeria pallidactyla
This record describes Gillmeria pallidactyla (species). Recorded family: Pterophoridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
This species occurs in dry or sandy waste ground and similar habitats. Flying in June and July, the adults hide amongst low foliage during the day and become active from dusk onwards, when they will come to light. Yarrow (Achillea) is the main foodplant, but the larvae possibly also feed on Tansy (Tanacetum). Widely distributed but local, throughout Great Britain. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
Wikipedia reference for Gillmeria pallidactyla: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gillmeria pallidactyla.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Pterophoroidea
- Family
- Pterophoridae (Plume Moths)
- Subfamily
- Pterophorinae
- Tribe
- Platyptiliini
- Genus
- Gillmeria
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
This species occurs in dry or sandy waste ground and similar habitats.
Seasonal Activity
Flying in June and July, the adults hide amongst low foliage during the day and become active from dusk onwards, when they will come to light.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
Yarrow (Achillea) is the main foodplant, but the larvae possibly also feed on Tansy (Tanacetum).
Additional species information
Recorded status
Widely distributed but local, throughout Great Britain. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Gillmeria pallidactyla. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Yarrow Plume (10)
Frequently Asked Questions About Yarrow Plume
What is Yarrow Plume?
Yarrow Plume (Gillmeria pallidactyla) is a species in the family Pterophoridae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Yarrow Plume found?
Habitat: This species occurs in dry or sandy waste ground and similar habitats.
When is Yarrow Plume active?
Yarrow Plume: seasonal activity - Flying in June and July, the adults hide amongst low foliage during the day and become active from dusk onwards, when they will come to light..
What is the life cycle of a Yarrow Plume?
Yarrow (Achillea) is the main foodplant, but the larvae possibly also feed on Tansy (Tanacetum).