Paraswammerdamia albicapitella
This record describes Paraswammerdamia albicapitella (species). Recorded family: Yponomeutidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 10 to 13 mm. A small greyish moth with white head and thorax. The adults can be found on the wing in July and are attracted to light. The larvae feed on Blackthorn mining the leaves initially, then hibernating in a small silken enclosure. In the spring they feed on the leaves from within a silk web. Distributed throughout England, Wales, Ireland and southern Scotland. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
Wikipedia reference for Paraswammerdamia albicapitella: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paraswammerdamia_albicapitella.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Yponomeutoidea
- Family
- Yponomeutidae (Ermine Moths)
- Subfamily
- Yponomeutinae
- Tribe
- Yponomeutini
- Genus
- Paraswammerdamia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Areas where Blackthorn is present.
Seasonal Activity
The adults can be found on the wing in July and are attracted to light.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larvae feed on Blackthorn mining the leaves initially, then hibernating in a small silken enclosure. In the spring they feed on the leaves from within a silk web.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Distributed throughout England, Wales, Ireland and southern Scotland. 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 Paraswammerdamia albicapitella. 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 Paraswammerdamia albicapitella (2)
Frequently Asked Questions About Paraswammerdamia albicapitella
What is Paraswammerdamia albicapitella?
Paraswammerdamia albicapitella is a species in the family Yponomeutidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Paraswammerdamia albicapitella found?
Habitat: Areas where Blackthorn is present.
When is Paraswammerdamia albicapitella active?
Paraswammerdamia albicapitella: seasonal activity - The adults can be found on the wing in July and are attracted to light..
What is the life cycle of a Paraswammerdamia albicapitella?
The larvae feed on Blackthorn mining the leaves initially, then hibernating in a small silken enclosure. In the spring they feed on the leaves from within a silk web.